Omicron is now dominant COVID variant in India: Centre

According to the World Health Organization, the Omicron variant has significantly increased transmissibility as compared to the Delta variant, and as a result, it is rapidly replacing the latter globally, Centre further pointed out. 

Is Omicron is more pathogenic?

Responding to this question, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed Lok Sabha that it is designated by WHO as a variant of concern, on the advice of the global body’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE).

This decision was based on evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves, for example, on how easily it spreads or the severity of illness it causes.

“While there is limited available data and no peer-reviewed evidence on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness for Omicron, Omicron variant is expected to have increased ability to evade immunity as compared to prior variants, causing re-infections in those who have had a previous infection and in those who have been vaccinated,” Pawar said in her reply.

However, vaccine protection occurs through antibodies as well as through cellular immunity, which is expected to be relatively better preserved, she said.

Based on the population estimates from the Registrar General of India (RGI), 89.63 crore adult population (95.5 per cent) has received a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine as on February 2, 2022.

The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), jointly initiated by the Union Ministry of Health, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and ICMR is a consortium of laboratories to monitor genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2.

“Initially, 10 labs and now with the addition of government and private labs, the consortium has 52 laboratories. Omicron variant is the dominant variant in the country, presently,” Pawar stated.