Covid is epidemic now, don’t panic: Experts

Despite surge in infections, there’s little evidence of the severity of the disease, experts say

Hyderabad: The Covid-19 pandemic has reached epidemic phase, resulting in low-level transmission and brief surges of infection whenever a major strain of the virus circulates in the community.

The epidemic is also a clear sign that people, especially those who are immunocompromised, must continue to take precautions and maintain basic respiratory etiquette, such as wearing masks, advise public health experts, doctors and geneticists.

While many states have seen a spike in Covid-19 infections due to the XBB 1.16 variant, geneticists and doctors here have made it clear that there is no evidence of the severity of the disease nor an increase in hospitalizations.

Not many people were tested for Covid-19 due to mild symptoms such as colds, coughs and fevers. In addition, there is a large proportion of the population who are asymptomatic, but they are Covid positive. Doctors say that if you have flu-like symptoms, even if you haven’t been tested, it’s best to isolate for two to three days until the symptoms subside.

“It’s clear that Covid-19 has reached epidemic stage, which is why we experience sporadic surges of infection whenever a new variant emerges. Form a minor inconvenience, it will become part of our lives,” said Dr Ch Mohan Rao, former Director and Distinguished Scientist at the Center for Cell and Molecular Biology (CCMB).

However, chest disease experts recommend that immunocompromised people with chronic diseases such as kidney, heart, liver, high blood pressure and diabetes take basic precautions, such as wearing a mask at parties. “Whenever there is a surge in infections, it is best for people with comorbidities to wear masks and avoid large gatherings. People who already have flu-like symptoms must observe basic coughing etiquette. The current variant of SARS-CoV-2 has no evidence of severity ,” said Dr. Mahaboob Khan, director of the Chest Hospital.