Omicron: Parliamentary panel urges govt assess vaccine efficacy, research on booster shots

As global concerns around the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, continue to grow, an Indian Parliamentary Committee recently advised that the efficiency of coronavirus vaccinations be assessed. The Committee also suggested that the government perform further researches to determine the necessity for COVID-19 booster shots to control the heavily mutated coronavirus variant. 

A report, presented by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health on Friday, stated that the Omicron COVID strain's growing immune escape mechanism must be addressed urgently. The Committee went on to say that the Health Ministry's policies to contain or prevent the risk of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for causing COVID-19, demonstrated to be woefully inadequate at the time of the second COVID wave while indicating the loss of lives. 

The Committee recommended that the government now concentrate on strengthening the healthcare system, providing sufficient accessibility of beds, supply of oxygen cylinders, as well as essential medical supplies. 

Parliamentary panel recommends govt achieve full testing capability

In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee also recommended that India achieve its full testing capability and boost it to tackle the present outbreak and possible future catastrophes. Additionally, it stated that the government should guarantee that testing must significantly outpace the increase of cases to prevent future waves of COVID-19 variants. 

The Committee also noted that with the new strain of COVID, Omicron (B.1.1.529), exhibiting 30 plus mutations, tracking and testing facilities especially at airports must also be strengthened and rigorous testing and screening of travellers must be carried out, PTI reported, citing the Committee's report.  

Highlighting that there is a threat of a third COVID wave, the Committee asserted that the Government make use of the opportunity to improve public health infrastructure. They explained that at the time of the first COVID-19 wave, the disease was largely limited to urban cities where testing was initiated quickly, while, during the second wave it propagated through rural villages.  

'Critical to expand geographical distribution of testing facilities in rural areas'

Following the above findings, the Committee concluded that expanding the geographical distribution of testing facilities in rural areas of the country is critical. It was also suggested that primary health care (PHCs) or Community Health Centers (CHCs) and the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) in states must be in alignment.

The Parliamentary panel further stated in its report that it believes an increase in virus mutations will result in the disclosures of more virulent and transmissible strains of the COVID virus in the nation, and strongly recommended the Union Health Ministry to implement a zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy and closely monitor COVID instances throughout India. 

In addition to this, the Committee urged by recommending that the government continue to push the vaccination campaign vigorously in terms of approving additional vaccines, increasing vaccine manufacturing, improving delivery capacity, and raising immunisation rates.

Further, the Committee suggested that the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia - INSACOG - keep a close eye on the new coronavirus strain and seek to improve the country's genome sequencing capacity. Additionally, the Parliamentary panel also wanted to know about the 'plan of action' for using the Rs 64,179.55 crore set aside for building public health infrastructure in preparation for a pandemic. 

(Image: PTI/ Unsplash)