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UK COVID Strain May Be More Infectious But There Is No Need To Panic: Experts

UK COVID Strain May Be More Infectious But There Is No Need To Panic: Experts
UK COVID Strain May Be More Infectious But There Is No Need To Panic: Experts

Experts ask people to stay more vigilant but not panic when it comes to UK COVID strain.

Written by Arushi Bidhuri |Updated : January 24, 2021 11:29 AM IST

The total number of Indians known to be infected with the new, more infectious UK strain of COVID-19 has reached 150, according to the Union Health Ministry. The coronavirus strain that swept Britain and affected several countries is believed to be more deadly than the previous strain of the coronavirus. But officials say that people need not panic but should stay vigilant.

New UK COVID strain: Should India be worried?

As soon as the surge of the UK strain was reported, Indian authorities suspended flight to and from the UK to constraint the virus. But despite constant efforts, UK strain continues to affect people in the country. However, India's total active caseload has continued to show downward movement over the past few weeks as the numbers on Saturday dropped to 1.85 lakh. But the fear of the UK strain spreading faster has become a concern for many. But experts have stated that it is more important to be vigilant than be scared.

Richa Sareen, Consultant, Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, told IANS, "The new strain of the COVID virus is among one of the new strains that will come up in the future. So, the approach to ensure prevention of infection from these strains is to always be vigilant and maintain measures of social distancing, hand hygiene and wearing a mask."

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Right Approach May Help Deal With The New UK Strain

Experts warn people not to panic as mass immunization has started and the vaccines seem to work against the new variant of the coronavirus. According to experts, the right approach to deal with it is to have regular monitoring of new cases and to stay alert.

The second most important thing to do is complete the process of vaccination at the earliest to curb the disease. The government should continue to take strict measures in areas where there is any large cluster of cases. This is important to avoid the spread of the new strain of the virus.

People should continue to observe precautionary measures to avoid the surge in the numbers of cases. It is crucial to "observe social distancing, frequent hand washing and cover your mouth and face while sneezing and talking. Also, always wear masks in public places or in closed places."

Do Vaccines Work Against The New Strain?

According to media reports, the new vaccines available to combat the microscopic villain seem to be protective against these new strains. "Like all other RNA viruses, mutation arise naturally in SARS-CoV-2 as well when the virus replicates. The new UK variant has mutations to the spike protein many vaccines are targeting. However, vaccines produce antibodies against many regions in the spike protein, so it's unlikely that a single change would make the vaccine less effective," asserts Dr Trupti Gilada, Infectious Disease Specialist, Masina Hospital, Mumbai.