"Omicron does not cause a significant fall in oxygen saturation." Pandemic is not over but don't panic. AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria's latest Omicron advice...
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00:00At the same time, whatever data we have currently of the new variant Omicron suggests that it
00:05is a mild infection, does not cause significant fall in oxygen saturation.
00:23As we move forward, I think it is important for us to understand that the pandemic is
00:28not over, yet we are in a better position as compared to what we were last year.
00:33We have had a large number of people who have been vaccinated, but still we are seeing cases
00:39which are now increasing and therefore it is very important for us to observe COVID
00:44appropriate behaviour, wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing and regularly washing
00:49our hands and avoiding crowds so that we do not have super spreading events.
00:56At the same time, whatever data we have currently of the new variant Omicron suggests that it
01:01is a mild infection, does not cause significant fall in oxygen saturation and therefore the
01:07requirement of oxygen may not be that much.
01:10So that we can provide proper and optimum care to patients who really need it, I would
01:15request everyone not to do what they had done last time in terms of hoarding medicines,
01:20hoarding oxygen cylinders and other such things.
01:24We as a nation are now better prepared to manage any surge in the cases that may happen
01:32because of a new wave and we also know that we are also prepared from the point of view
01:37of individual immunity.
01:39A large number of us have either got immunity because of vaccination or because of natural
01:46infection and because of that we are very well protected.
01:50I would therefore reassure everyone that don't panic but you have to be alert and make
01:55sure that you don't become part of a chain of spreading the infection.
02:00So that is something that we need to do.