Why the World Should Be Alarmed About India’s New “Double” and “Triple” Mutant Covid-19 Strains
The world needs to re-brace itself for the deadliest strain of the coronavirus until now.
As I write this, Delhi stands at a positivity rate of 31%, i.e., every third person who tests for the virus has it. The true figure of people infected with the virus might be even higher; everyone I know is either infected or has a family member who is infected and needs urgent oxygen and ventilator support, plasma, Covid-19 medication, and Covid-19 detection tests— which are critically low in supply. The healthcare infrastructure has completely collapsed in Delhi and is slowly collapsing pan-India too. While all this sounds like a replica of the situation in 2020, there are some concerning differences in the virus strain, the severity of the symptoms for all age groups, and the pace at which the virus is spreading.
What are the “double” and “triple” mutant strains?
According to media outlets, the double mutant strain, called B.1.617, is an amalgamation of two Covid-19 variants L452R and E484Q. The L452R (California variant) binds more effectively to human cells, while E484Q reduces the effectiveness of Covid-19 antibodies (and is also the UK and South African variant).
The triple mutant strain evolved from the double mutant strain. Very little is known of this strain except that it will carry forward a similar nature as of the double mutant one, i.e., being even more highly infectious than any other strain and responding even more poorly to the immune response of a human body with Covid-19 antibodies.
Why are the “double” and “triple” mutant strains concerning?
To understand the impact of the double mutant strain, let’s take the example of the worst-hit city in India and my hometown, Delhi.
There have been four main Covid-19 waves in Delhi, including the current one, where the increasing number of infections has overwhelmed the hospital infrastructure, resulting in several deaths. To understand why the current wave is the worst the city (and country) has ever seen before, I’m going to use the following parameters:
New daily active cases: During the last pandemic wave, the new per day Covid-19 cases in Delhi peaked at 8,593 on 11th November 2020. During the current pandemic wave, new Covid-19 infections have crossed the 9000 mark on the 11th of April. On April 24th, the total number of new cases in Delhi was 24,103. The actual figures are underreported because of delays owing to testing centers being overwhelmed by the large number of samples . Between 1st-15th April, the total number of active Covid-19 cases rose by a whopping 417.32% in the national capital.
Covid-19 deaths per day: In the previous wave, at its peak, Delhi reported less than 100 Covid-19 related deaths per day. Currently, this figure stands at 318, i.e., 13 deaths per hour. This will be further exacerbated by the fact that the city hasn’t even reached its peak of active infections and the death toll is expected to be much higher in May. Crematoriums around the city are overwhelmed, with many reporting to having to wait for five hours or more to burn their dead.
Oxygen Crisis: At the time of writing, 25 critically ill patients have died in Jaipur Golden Hospital due to the lack of high-speed oxygen. Another hospital has refused to take new patients to make sure that oxygen supply continues to those who are currently admitted. The city is suffering from an oxygen shortage so bad that it has had to borrow oxygen from other states and the center has had to divert industrial oxygen to hospitals. India is also exporting oxygen from other countries on an emergency basis. There is a fight among people to get this vital gas, and those who can’t acquire it end up with someone they love dying.
My own experience: Approximately one out of three people in my circle of friends and relatives is infected with the new mutation of the virus. The last time the number of infections peaked, this figure was approximately one out of 40 for me. In the 2021 wave of Covid-19 infections, even if one person of a family unit contracts the virus, there is a high probability that the entire family will get infected. This wave is more infectious, with even vaccinated folks of all ages showing mild to severe symptoms. Unlike the last wave, no one I know personally has been asymptomatic in this wave. Add to this the oxygen shortage crisis faced by the city, several people I know have succumbed to the virus because they couldn’t get healthcare on time.
What can you do to prepare for the “double” or “triple” mutant strain?
As we’ve learned from the spread of the virus in 2020, there’s no such thing as an isolated country. Given how scattered the Indian diaspora is in the world, the new double and triple mutant strains will reach the shores of other nations soon. Here are a couple of tips and pointers that can help you prepare when B.1.617 and its mutation hits your country:
Be stringent about sanitization and wearing masks: There is no such thing as paranoid when the double or triple mutant cases start showing up in your country. Assume it’s everywhere because the pace of spread is much faster than the earlier coronavirus wave that the world saw. Wash your hands, sanitize them often as a habit. The N95 masks are your survival gear; wear and remove them carefully. Take a shower after you come back from overtly crowded places. Avoid going out unless necessary.
Don’t wait for a test to tell you that you’ve contracted the new mutation: By the time we understood what the portfolio of symptoms of the new mutant virus was, the infection had spread to all corners of the country . If you experience any of the classic coronavirus symptoms of fever, dry cough and, low oxygen saturation levels, along with new mutant associated symptoms such as red eyes, body ache and rashes don’t wait for a test. Assume you have the virus and reach out to doctors or medicate yourself accordingly. Strictly monitor your oxygen saturation levels using a Pulse Oximeter device.
Be okay with the fact that your vaccine doses will lower in effectiveness, but will keep you out of the hospital: I cannot stress this enough — please vaccinate. The vaccine doses will keep you out of the hospital, out of the race to get an oxygen cylinder or a bed, and keep your loved ones safe. However, vaccination does not guarantee that you won’t contract the new mutation — what it does guarantee is that you won’t die. Encourage everyone you know to vaccinate because the new mutation is adversely impacting non-vaccinated people the most.
The vaccination program in India could not keep up with the rapid pace of infection; 17 million out of 1.5 billion people have gotten both doses of either Covaxin or Covishield. This is worsened by the fact that there is vaccine hesitation in the nation, further driving down the vaccine intake.
Be mindful of your mental health: The collective mental health of the nation has taken a toll because of the speed with which people are dying, the rising rate of infections, and the fight for limited oxygen and healthcare supplies. When this happens on your side of the world, remember to take mental health breaks from social media and bad news that trickles from every corner. Even if you’re infected, don’t panic, as stress and panic can reduce the effectiveness of any medication. I know it’s difficult, but try and keep calm — focus on the recovery rate and that you too can be a part of that percentage of people who have recovered.
A little about me…
I’m a yogini who is completely enamored with the idea of experiencing different dimensions of life. I write on an odd range of topics: from spiritual awareness, meditation, and mental health to politics, travel, and comedy (including all the weird shades of genres in between). They call me a researcher in my day job.
Popular articles and poems that I’ve written until now:
- 5 Mediation Myths Busted
- I Tried Chloe Ting’s Two Week Shred Fitness Challenge
- I Am Not Afraid of Death
- I Loved Shards of Glass (Poem)
I would love to read your thoughts and comments on what I write. You can contact me on Instagram at @thesanb and Twitter at @thesabh