With the holidays just a couple of days away, many families are wondering what to do about their travel plans, considering the rise in Covid-19 cases.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan is the Co-Chairman of the National Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force. (rajeevjayadevan.in)
Q: You are in the state of Kerala, which has been reporting the maximum number of Covid-19 cases. Obviously, this means Kerala is doing a tremendous job of testing. Considering this, what is the current status of Covid-19 in India?
A: COVID-19 is a cyclical disease, meaning there will be waves of cases lasting two or three months before settling down. After a case-free period, currently seven months, we are seeing a surge in cases again.
In India, until early October, there were several cases which were influenza-related, with Covid playing a minor role, to the extent of about 1 percent. However, in November, Covid began reclaiming its place as a contributor to respiratory infections. By December, it rose to 30 percent.
This variant, related to Omicron, is largely asymptomatic or causes mild influenza-like symptoms. Hospitalisations are mostly among older individuals and those with pre-existing conditions. Although there are many cases, not many are showing up in hospitals.
There’s uncertainty about how the virus will affect the less healthy population. Despite vaccinations and previous infections, people with comorbidities might still be at risk.
Q: This being holiday season, people are planning to travel to Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Dubai, Singapore and few other places where Covid-19 numbers are high. What are some tips for them?
A: Firstly, travel bans do not work. It never worked. Yes, this is a season when people travel between countries, between states, between cities, between houses, and people gather in large social gatherings. It’s a happy part of the happy time of the year. We have Christmas, New Year celebrations coming up, so we can expect this variant to spread. It is going to spread. There’s no doubt about that and we cannot stop it from spreading.
But the least we could do is, firstly, if there is somebody vulnerable in the family or in our social network, we must be a little extra careful not to spread it to these people. So it is important to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially around them. Wear masks when around them.
Secondly, watch for symptoms. If you have symptoms, get tested because if it is Covid-19, then you’ll need to self-isolate if you are feeling otherwise healthy. You need to stay away from social gatherings and rest at home, so that you do not spread it to other people.
And the one specific advisory given by the Kerala government is that if somebody is admitted to the hospital, for whatever reason, do not go to the hospital for social visits. You can just make a video call. It is not worth picking up the virus from them and then passing it on to others.
Q: Can children get infected? Any advise to parents?
A: So, children go to school, they get infected. That is just how it is. My daughter wears a mask at school and so she has escaped the infection so far. So masks work, clearly.
One piece of advice I will give to the parents is: If your child is having a fever or a cough and a cold or sneezing, keep them at home. Do not send them to school. It may be inconvenient for you, but it is unkind to the whole class to send a sick child to school. Please don’t do that.
Secondly, local paediatricians, who are constantly in touch with me, tell me that they are seeing a lot of children with upper respiratory tract infections. They have been seeing them for months. Not a lot of Covid cases in children really, so there’s really no cause for concern about children and Covid at this time.
Q: People are wondering if they should start working from home and switch to online schooling again.
A: Schools are closing for Christmas vacations anyway. So that will cut the spread to a large extent. I don’t endorse school closures, not for this sort of situation. If something unexpected or unprecedented occurs, then we will talk about it. Right now, with JN.1, there is no such indication.
As far as working from home is concerned, there is nothing unusual in terms of its severity. But one must remember that even if they are vaccinated or have been infected in the past, they may still end up with Covid-19 again. So please don’t live under the impression that vaccination or previous infections will grant you some sort of protection. No, it will walk right past your immune response.
However, on the other hand, these past exposures — with the vaccines and natural infections — will protect most people from having a bad outcome.
Q: If someone tests positive for Covid-19 now, what should they do?
A: The primary objective now will be to stop oneself from infecting other people, assuming that they are stable. Most people are, at this time, with the kind of variants that are circulating. You could remain infected for as long as 10 days.
A minimum period of 5 to 7 days of being out of contact with other people is helpful. So, you could switch to remote working and staying away from social gatherings. I know it’s inconvenient, it’s Christmas time, and we want to be part of social gatherings, but we have to do what is right for ourselves and for others, too.
Also, ensure that there is a plan B in place. Suppose things don’t go as planned, suppose the condition worsens, then one must know whom to call, what steps to take. This is important. Never assume that you won’t get sick with JN.1. That doesn’t work like that. Always have plan B.
Q: What is the recommended treatment for Covid-19 now? A lot of people may end up taking over-the-counter antibiotics again.
A: It’s crucial to differentiate between the need for routine antibiotics and their use in secondary bacterial infections common with Covid. Antibiotics should not be routinely used for Covid-19, but they shouldn’t be completely dismissed either.
If someone has symptoms of Covid-19, they should visit a healthcare provider for appropriate guidance. Most importantly, individuals should isolate and plan for potential worsening of symptoms.
Q: What else should we be doing to track the new variant?
A: It’s important to continue obtaining objective data and not dismiss any developments prematurely. While symptoms may be similar to the common cold, Covid-19 is more serious. Let’s say that again: COVID-19 IS NOT THE COMMON COLD.
The common cold doesn’t take lives. But Covid-19 can directly affect the inner lining of the blood vessels. It is best to stay away from Covid-19 in every way we can.
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