Doctor who found Omicron says India will see a surge, but mild

New Delhi: India will see a surge in Omicron-driven Covid cases and a high positivity rate but the infection will hopefully be mild in most people as is being seen in South Africa, says Dr Angelique Coetzee who first identified the variant.

The chairperson of the South African Medical Association also said existing vaccines will definitely control the contagion but those unvaccinated are at 100 per cent 'risk'.

"Existing vaccines will greatly help reduce the spread of the Omicron variant," Coetzee told PTI in a phone interview from Pretoria. In the case of a vaccinated person or one who has had a history of being infected by COVID-19, it will spread to fewer people, she said, adding that unvaccinated people will potentially spread the virus 100 per cent.

"Existing vaccines would greatly help to reduce the spreading, as we know that you would spread only about 1/3 if vaccinated or had previous history of being infected by Covid, while unvaccinated people will potentially spread the virus 100 per cent," she said.

According to the South African expert, who first brought the Omicron variant to the world's notice, the Covid pandemic is yet to be over and will become endemic in the days to come. She disagreed with the opinion of some experts that Covid is heading towards an end with the advent of Omicron, which as of now is comparatively a weaker variant of the coronavirus. "I do not think so. I believe it will be difficult (for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to end soon). I presume it will become endemic," she predicted.

"India will see a surge in Omicron-driven COVID-19 cases and simultaneously there will be a high-positivity rate. But hopefully the majority of the cases will be as mild as what we are seeing here in South Africa," she added as India on Saturday reported 415 cases of the Omicron variant.