Need we be worried about new variants?

 

The way the situation is being advertised amply proves that the intention is to create a scare. Let us take a look at the reality.

- The agency INSACOG who are deciphering these variants have clearly stated that they are not behind the rise in cases

- The Director of the Institute of Life Sciences in Odisha has tweeted that the UK strain in the State N440K is not a threat. All three who have been infected have recovered without any incident

- Doctors in the UK have stated that the C is a large virus with 30,000 RNA strands and 10,000 amino acids. The mutations are taking place in a small protein structure. Consequently all the mutations observed are 99.8% similar. If a person has been infected and has recovered, the innate non specific immunity will be able to prevent all mutations

- They have also said mutations cannot be region specific. For example the so called UK strain has been observed simultaneously in 46 countries. Viruses do not recognize borders and create country wise mutations

- It is very normal for viruses to mutate. By doing so they increase the rate of transmission and helps in bringing herd immunity very quickly. The death rate however falls and this is good

- As per public health experts from Maharashtra this is exactly what is happening. The cases are increasing but death rate is falling. We will have clear herd immunity by May

- Vaccine industry and BMGF expert Dr Greet Vanden Bossche has pointed out that a second wave comes because we try to contain an epidemic with measures like lockdown, masks, sanitizers etc. This prevents the virus from spreading naturally and provides time for mutations. Had these measures not been taken the epidemic would have passed very quickly

- We have faced much more dangerous epidemics of Sars, Mers, Swine Flu without these measures and they emptied themselves very quickly without a second wave

- Dr Bossche has warned that vaccinating populations during the course of a pandemic will have serious consequences. It is here that immune escape will occur creating super strains that will infect the younger generation and those unvaccinated and "create a catastrophe". His advice must be taken very seriously

- Creating fear in the minds of people will drastically reduce immunity. Through such actions we are paving the way for a more serious situation

- We should learn from past experience and have a different protocol to treat people. Influenza is an elimination disease. Giving medication to suppress symptoms will inevitably lead to complications and death. Let us remember the old maxim, Doctor do as much nothing as possible. Let us return to the days of bedside medicine and physician’s personal experience as proposed by Dr William Osler, the father of modern medicine

- The "fight against disease" has turned into a war on health. Let us rectify ourselves and become patient and health friendly otherwise whatever reputation that is left will vanish with our wrong actions

It is time for the senior members of the profession to speak up and end the lobbying efforts of groups. Medicine is about attending to the needs of patients and helping them to recover. It is not about selling the products of the industry.