cough. However, signs like loss of taste or smell, respiratory distress, or worsening symptoms warrant immediate testing— not least because Omicron subvariants could present mild cases that still potentially stress healthcare systems.
Scientific surveillance has also been intensified. The CSIR-NCL in Pune has reported the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material across all 10 city sewage treatment plants, signaling early community spread. Concurrently, the national network of genomic labs is expanding wastewater-based epidemiology and virus sequencing efforts to detect variant outbreaks before they manifest clinically.
On the biotech front, Bharat Biotech’ s Suchitra Ella has emphasized that scaling vaccine manufacturing requires partnerships, technology transfer, and a reliable supply of critical materials. She highlighted collaboration over patent relaxation, advocating for the deployment of mRNA and subunit vaccines using advanced bioprocesses and shared expertise.
Health agencies brace for new COVID-19 wave
The central government has also taken several steps to monitor and mitigate the resurgence. The Union Health Ministry resumed daily COVID-19 reporting from May 31, after months of relaxed surveillance. Testing is being ramped up, particularly in regions showing case clusters, and private laboratories have been instructed to share real-time data with health authorities and the Indian Council of Medical Research( ICMR). Although testing rates remain lower than during previous waves, there is an increasing push to ensure symptomatic individuals are screened promptly.
Government agencies have been equally proactive. The Union Health Ministry reinstated public advisories urging mask usage and caution in crowded spaces. Additionally, mass hygiene campaigns and mock drills are being launched across hospitals and districts. Simultaneously, national frameworks like the NITI Aayog ' s Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response( PPER) blueprint are guiding efforts to ensure countries can respond within 100 days to any emerging pathogen, including crosssector surveillance and public health governance.
Experts including Dr. Soumya Swaminathan and Dr. Dheeraj Aggarwal have urged the public to differentiate COVID‐19 from common flu, emphasizing key symptoms like loss of taste or breathlessness. Their guidance underscores the need for masks, hand hygiene, and self-isolation if symptoms appear, particularly among the elderly and immunocompromised.
Public health messaging has been renewed, with officials urging citizens to remain cautious, especially in crowded public spaces. Masks, though no longer mandatory in many areas, are being strongly recommended once heathtech
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