Will India see Omicron wave? It’ll be clear in 6 wks: Experts

Will India see Omicron wave? It’ll be clear in 6 wks: Experts

‘Duration Crucial To See How Variant Behaves In Delta-Hit Country’

Malathy.Iyer@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:  05.12.2021

Experts said it would take another six to eight weeks for an “Omicron wave”, if at all, to become apparent. While Maharashtra’s first Omicron case has been detected in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the state’s additional chief secretary (health) Dr Pradeep Vyas said,“We will focus on quickly completing the vaccination process and ensuring that people follow Covid-appropriate behavior, particularly proper wearing of face mask.’’ Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the state government’s Covid task force, said,“There are too many unknowns with the Omicron variant at the moment. We shouldn’t panic, but maintain a vigil. We have to study if Omicron in the next few weeks displaces the Delta variant (which caused the second wave in India) as the dominant variant in circulation.”

He said the next six to eight weeks are crucial to see how the Omicron variant behaves in India, which has seen a wide exposure to the Delta variant.

“Most Omicron cases are related to travel. We have to study clusters of cases in countries other than South Africa that may have developed after the first travel-related case. It will help us prepare,” added Dr Joshi.

Another task force member, Dr Rahul Pandit, said that it has to be back to the basics of tracing, testing and treating. “As we have seen previously, cases take a month or two to rise after a new variant is found to be in circulation,” he said.

BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani said that there is no cause for panic in Mumbai at the moment. “We have adequate medical infrastructure needed to handle any increase in cases we may see,” he said.

Kalyan Dombivli Municpal Corporation Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi said people should compulsorily observe safety measures of social distancing and wearing a face mask outside home. “I have asked hotel associations and commercial establishments and unions to adhere all safety norms of wearing masks. Our civic teams will start fining those who fail to wear masks and shopkeepers and other establishments who will not follow Covid safety guidelines,” he added.

(Inputs by Pradeep Gupta)

A separate ward being prepared at a hospital in Madurai on Saturday to treat people infected with the Omicron variant of Covid

RT-PCR report must for Vaishno Devi visit

Reviewing precautionary measures taken in view of the new Covid variant Omicron, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has mandated for all visiting devotees to have verifiable RT-PCR reports not older than 72 hours, reports Sanjay Khajuria. Urging those taking up the pilgrimage not to let down their guard in the wake of a recent spike in Covid cases, SMVDSB chief executive officer Ramesh Kumar has appealed to the devotees to adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour and carry valid RT-PCR reports with them.

“It has already been made mandatory for the pilgrims to wear face masks and every visitor is being scanned through thermal scanners at the entry points,” Kumar said. “For the awareness of visitors, regular announcements are also being made on the already-installed multi-purpose audio system ...,” he added.

Petition over paid admission: HC summons Jamia registrar

Petition over paid admission: HC summons Jamia registrar

New Delhi:  05.12.2021

Delhi High Court has summoned the Jamia Millia Islamia registrar on a plea alleging favouritism in admissions to paid category seats in an affiliated school.

Justice Prateek Jalan also summoned the principal of the school and said the relevant records with regard to the admissions conducted this year be made available too for the perusal of the court.

The court has listed the matter for further hearing on December 12. The petition alleged that admissions have been made to various classes in the school without notifying the vacancies. TNN

Didn’t violate testing rules, US airline says in reply

Didn’t violate testing rules, US airline says in reply

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:   05.12.2021

American Airlines (AA) has responded to the Delhi government’s showcause notice on alleged violation of 2% testing of passengers arriving from ‘not-at-risk’ countries by saying that it “believes (its) flight was in compliance with the latest guidelines.”

Following Omicron, India has mandated that all arrivals from at-risk countries and 2% randomly selected from not-atrisk countries (that include US, Canada and UAE, among others) will be tested on landing here.

The government had issued a notice to AA on Friday on the grounds that its crew of a New York-Delhi flight did not randomly identify the required 2% passengers for on-arrival testing at IGIA. Passengers randomly selected “shall be escorted by the concerned airlines/aviation ministry to the testing area on arrival. The GM of the concerned airline is hereby show caused for not complying with the directions...,” says the notice issued by Delhi Cantonment SDM Piyush Arun Rohankar.

AA said in a statement: “American Airlines holds the health and well-being of our customers and team members as our highest priority, and we take care to abide by Covid-19 guidelines and all other rules and regulations established by governments in markets where we operate. We received the notice and believe our flight was in compliance with the latest guidelines, and we have responded accordingly.”

The New Delhi district administration has also issued show cause notices to Air India and a private airline from Iran for alleged violation of passenger boarding guidelines issued following the emergence of Omicron, PTI reported on Saturday. Officials said three passengers — one each in Air India flights from Dubai and Amritsar, and the third travelling in a Mahan Air flight from Tehran — were allowed boarding without filing up their personal details. No response was available from the two airlines.

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WEEKS BY WHICH FLIGHT TO INDIA WAS DEFERRED

Junior docs to go off OPD on Mon

Junior docs to go off OPD on Mon

New Delhi:  05.12.2021

Resident doctors of Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals have threatened to strike on Monday to protest delay in counselling and admission through NEET.

In a letter to the director of Lok Nayak hospital, the resident doctors have stated that they will boycott OPD and elective surgeries if their demands aren’t met. Emergency and ICU services will not be affected by their protest, doctors said. Resident doctors of several other hospitals across the country, including Safdarjung, have also threatened to strike on Monday.

According to the Federation of Resident Doctors Association, the delay in admission to PG NEET was impacting the morale and performance of residents. TNN

Newark-bound Air India flight returns to IGI after 3 hours as passenger dies on board

Newark-bound Air India flight returns to IGI after 3 hours as passenger dies on board

New Delhi:  05.12.2021

An Air India flight to Newark in the USA returned to Delhi airport after three hours of departing due to the death of a passenger on board.

“Air India Delhi-Newark (US) flight returned to Delhi after more than three hours of flight, due to a medical emergency on board,” an Air India official told ANI.

A team of airport doctors arrived on the plane and declared him dead after a thorough check of the passenger. The passenger was a US national and was travelling with his wife.

“On December 4, flight number AI-105 returned to IGI airport, due to the death of a US citizen who was travelling with his wife to Newark,” the official said.

The flight landed safely at Delhi airport, and as per the flight time duty limitation norms, another batch of the crew will be arranged for flight operations.

“The same aircraft with new crew members are expected to take off around 1600 hrs,” the official added. The matter was reported to the airport police for legal formalities. ANI

US-bound AI flight returns after death

US-bound AI flight returns after death

05.12.2021

An AI flight to Newark returned to IGI airport after three hours of departing due to the death of a flyer. A team of airport doctors arrived on the plane and after checking the passenger declared him dead. The flyer was a US national & was travelling with his wife.

When students wept for teacher who took a transfer

When students wept for teacher who took a transfer

S Bhuvaneshwari TNN

Bengaluru:  05.12.2021

Emotions ran high at government higher primary school in Lakkuru of Nelamangala taluk in Bengaluru Rural on Friday as tearyeyed kids pleaded with their teacher, who took a transfer to another institution, to stay back. The teacher, though overwhelmed, expressed helplessness as he had to live close to his aged parents.

With a heavy heart, the children bid adieu to their beloved tutor Gangamallaiah C. He had applied for transfer to a school near his native village and his request was approved.

Gangamallaiah had been working at the Lakkuru school, which has a strength of 124, since 2014 and taught Kannada and social science to students of classes 1-8.

School headmaster Venkatesh N said: “Gangamallaiah used to take care of his students at an individual level. He used to come to school on his two-wheeler and pick up kids on the way if they were unable to reach the institution for some reason.”

He added: “If he was on leave, he used to tell me to pick up the students from Madenahalli near Dobbaspete and would call to remind me so that they don’t miss classes.”

The children too were attached to him. Venkatesh said: “Without telling the students, we (staff members) gave Gangamallaiah a farewell last Wednesday. After the students learnt he was transferred to another school, they requested me to call him and tell him to meet them on Friday.”

When Gangamallaiah came visiting, the kids cried and requested him not to leave them. Class 7 student Harshitha N told STOI: “If we didn’t come to school, he would call our parents to know the reason. We liked his teaching and moral stories.” Class 8 student Sumayya chipped in: “He never allowed our parents to scold or beat us. In fact, he would even guide them if they had any problem.”

The students said they’ll miss Gangamallaiah as he took care of them even more than their parents.

Gangamallaiah said: “After witnessing the love and affection of my students, I’m happy that I became a teacher. Due to poverty, some brilliant kids used to work with their parents to support them financially. I used to go to their houses and convince such parents to send their children to school.”

TEARFUL ADIEU: Students of the government higher primary school in Lakkuru of Nelamangala bid farewell to their teacher