Kochi: Netherlands have announced lockdown for over two weeks while UK has brought in restrictions due to surging Omicron cases which are also increasing in India, media reports said.
Netherlands have imposed lockdown until January 4 while UK has brought in restrictions during Christmas and New Year celebrations among others due to a tremendous surge in Omicron cases, the reports said.
While many European countries are making plans on war footing to fight the variant and some have even speeded up giving covid booster drugs, India is buying more time to take a decision on the matter.
With Omicron cases mounting each passing day in the country, it becomes a major challenge for the union Government to deal with the new variant.
India is focusing on vaccinating all its citizens
and review the situation by December end to take a final decision on the matter of booster jabs, the reports said.
The government is focusing more on covering maximum people under a second dose among adults and high risk people.
About 87.5 percent of the adult population have received at least the first dose while 56 percent are fully vaccinated, the reports said.
The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) is the apex body which guides the government on immunisation.
NTAGI is still assessing the requirement for a booster as experts are of the opinion that the third vaccine of Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik among others cannot act as a deterrent against Omicron.
The experts feel that a vaccine to fight Omicron should be based on a different platform, the reports said.
As on Saturday, there were 126 cases of Omicron in the country with Maharashtra leading with 43, Delhi 22, Rajasthan 17, Karnataka 14, Telangana 8, Gujarat.
