Omicron will spread rapidly through air, crowds should be avoided, expert panel warns to be extra vigilant

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Present studies suggest that the new variant of Covid, Omicron can be rapidly transmitted through the air, according to Covid Expert Panel. The committee also warned the government to be extra vigilant. The committee directed that the number of samples sent for genomic sequencing should be increased and that discussions on a third dose be initiated immediately.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and experts in South Africa, who first identified the variant, warned that omicron is highly contagious. The panel of experts reported to the government that the possibility of rapid transmission through air indicates the diffusion capacity of omicron. The report mentions that masks should be mandatory and crowds should be avoided.

The committee also recommended that although the decision on the third dose vaccine should be taken by the central government, the issue should be discussed in committees representing the state. The panel also called for an increase in the number of samples. It is being sent to the Delhi-based Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.