to ensure early detection and prevent spread of new strain. So far, four cases of Omicron sub-variant BF.7 have been detected in India.
India may also witness rise in Covid cases in the next few weeks, but experts believe that the situation may not be as alarming as what’s happening in China. As per some reports, 1-2 million people could succumb to the virus in the coming months.
Here are 10 things you should know about the BF.7 variant
- BF.7 is an another name for BA.5.2.1.7 Omicron variant.
- The new strain, a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5, is highly transmissible.
- The variant has a R-value of 10-18. It means an infected person can transmit the virus to an average of 10 to 18 other people.
- The Omicron variant had an R-value of 1-5.
- BF.7 has a shorter incubation period and a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those who are vaccinated.
- According to laboratory studies, pre-existing antibodies are less effective at neutralising the BF.7 virus.
- According to a study, the BF.7 variant has 4.4-fold higher neutralisation resistance than the original virus. This means the antibodies from the vaccination are not effective enough against the virus.
- Its symptoms are the same as other variants of Covid: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and fatigue. Some may also experience gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhoea.
- The BF.7 variant has a mutation in its spike protein (R346T) that is believed to be contributing to its increased infectivity and ability to evade the immune system.
- The coronavirus variant was first detected in India in October but is now making a comeback.
India need not worry: Experts
Experts said BF.7 variant does not pose a severe risk to the Indian population but added that wearing face masks and avoiding unnecessary crowds is always advisable.
Here is why India may avoid a fourth wave:
- Due to its Covid-zero policy, China has not faced waves of infections like India. The three waves witnessed in India naturally immunised millions of people.
- According to experts, most Indians have acquired hybrid immunity, which means immunity developed through vaccines and also natural infection protecting them from different Covid variants.
- BF.7 is a sub-variant of Omicron and most of its symptoms are similar. The third wave in India mostly saw Omicron cases and a vast majority of the population has been naturally immunised against the virus, said experts.
- The Chinese population has not been exposed to natural infection and the authorities did not use the time to vaccinate the elderly. Cases are spreading quickly in China, especially among the older population. In India, however, the vaccination coverage is very high.
- India’s vaccination rates are nearly 95% of eligible population for at least one doze, and over 88% for both doses. A section of the eligible population has also received a third dose.
- The efficacy of domestically-made vaccines used in India have been widely acknowledged and the majority of the population can be presumed to be well protected.
- This contrasts sharply with China, that has used 7 vaccines so far for its mass inoculation such as Sinovac and Sinopharm. The protection these vaccines provide are suspect, only two of the 7 are WHO-listed.
India doing fine: Kang
Renowned virologist Gangandeep Kang on Friday said she does not expect India to report a spike in Covid cases.
“They [BF.7 and other strains] are, like all Omicron sub-variants, very good at infecting people because they escape the immune response that prevents infection, but are not causing more severe disease than Delta,” tweeted Kang, a professor at the Christian Medical College’s division of gastrointestinal sciences.
Kang said that “at the moment, India is doing fine” but maintained that surveillance should be ensured to “detect signal of any changes in the behaviour of the virus”.
Not a wave but ripples
Experts said that though India may avoid a fourth wave of infections, a massive surge in cases in neighbouring China is bound to have some ripple effects.
The spread of the virus within a country’s borders can have “knock-on effects” in nearby countries, even if there are no direct links between the two.
The current surge in Covid-19 cases in China could potentially lead to a resurgence of the virus in India, as has been seen in other countries that have experienced multiple waves of infection during the pandemic.
According to some studies, China may see 2-3 peaks in infections over the coming months. Each peak may have a knock-on effect in India.
(Inputs from agencies)
