Omicron Subvariant BF.7: What former AIIMS Director said on risk and hospitalisation

Omicron Subvariant BF.7: Omicron BF.7 has been detected in India. According to a report in IANS, the first case of BF.7 has been detected by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research centre. This new Omicron variant is also considered to be highly infectious and has a greater transmissibility.

Omicron sub-variants -- BA.5.1.7 and BF.7 -- after believed to be emerging from a region of Mongolia in China are now making their way to other parts and posing fresh threats. In view of the surge in cases, experts have advised to take precaution and follow Covid appropriate behaviour.

Dr Randeep Guleria, former director at Delhi AlIMS, said that high-risk groups, elderly people should avoid going out because there are high chances of spreading infection and some can also get a serious infection.

"I would suggest to everyone that if they are going out and especially in crowded places then they must wear a mask," he told news agency ANI.

"New variants are expected and this variant has a tendency to mutate that will continue, but now the situation is different, earlier, there was no vaccination, but people are now vaccinated also. But this doesn't mean that people will stop taking precautions, festival season is coming up and cases are also rising," he added.

Omicron Subvariant BF.7:Hospitalisation

The probability of hospitalisation and ICU admissions is low, according to Guleria.

"The chances of hospitalisation and ICU admissions are low. This time there will be a mild infection, fever cold, cough and body ache, the chances of recovery are within 3-4 days, usually, in this season, viral fever is reported due to COVID also," he said.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stressed on monitoring the points of entry and highlighted the need for community awareness for continued implementation of the Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB), especially in view of the upcoming festival season.

He has also directed officials to closely monitor hospitalisations due to Covid-19 and increase pace of vaccination including precautionary dose to the eligible beneficiaries.