In the last more than a fortnight, there has been a tremendous decline in new cases of Covid-19 reported every day. On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir reported 151 infections, the lowest in 49 days. The omicron-driven 3rd wave is waning. The cases are only dropping further. The daily positivity rate is significantly below the World Health Organization’s threshold of 5%.
With a rapidly improving pandemic situation, a majority of activity and movement-related restrictions have been removed. Some still exist and given the situation should be done away with, even if existing on paper only. The J&K State Executive Committee (SEC) has still kept attendance at indoor gatherings to 50 per cent of the authorized capacity while cinema halls, theatres, restaurants, clubs, gymnasiums and swimming pools have been permitted to function at 25 per cent of the authorized capacity with due precautions. Normalcy seems to be within the reach but there is still some distance to go. Complacency could prove disadvantageous. A recent study by the Imperial College London has shown that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron coronavirus variant is more than five times higher than other strains.
Cases of reinfection are more found in Omicron variants, experts have said. In a paper published in Nature, researchers have said that the highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, has significantly increased the number of people reinfected with Covid, unlike previous variants.
As per a data before mid-November, which is before the time when the Omicron strain of the coronavirus was found, reinfections accounted for about 1 percent of reported cases of Covid-19, but the rate has now increased to around 10 per cent.
There are important events to take place in due course of time. Schools for primary level are opening in Jammu from February 21.
The schools in the Winter Zone Schools of J&K shall commence offline teaching for all classes after February 28 when winter vacation comes to end.
The Head of the Institutions have been asked to ensure that guidelines related to vaccination for students above 15 years, social distancing norms and Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) are followed strictly including regular screening at the entrance of the Institution. There is need for adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour in schools and authorities should prepare proper plans for the same. People also need to follow CAB strictly. The cases are declining and all must play a part to ensure that numbers are reduced to zero.
