WORLD’S MOST DOMINANT COVID-19 VARIANT: DELTA | UPSC EXAM

INTRODUCTION

  • On September 22, 2021, Globe Health Organization (WHO) technical head Maria Van Kerkhove stated that the delta variation of COVID-19 is by far the most prevalent variant in the world, surpassing other variants of concern-alpha, beta, and gamma.
  • The version has gotten more fit and transmissible over time, according to the WHO scientist, and is currently aggressively replacing all previous Covid-variants in circulation. In the aftermath of delta outcompeting and replacing everything else, the WHO has now reduced its warnings for three other varieties of concern.
  • The alpha, beta, gamma, and three additional variations – eta, iota, and kappa – have been demoted to “variants under surveillance” by the WHO, meaning that they “no longer represent a substantial risk to global public health” as delta has surpassed them.

 

DELTA VARIANT AND VACCINES –

  • The Delta variation has already been discovered in 185 countries, resulting in an increase in infections worldwide. The variation was responsible for the devastating COVID-19 second wave in India, as well as the current increase in cases in the United States.
  • According to the WHO, the number of worldwide COVID-19 fatalities and infections has decreased in recent weeks, owing to increasing vaccine access in affluent countries, despite the fact that underdeveloped economies are still struggling to vaccinate their populations.
  • Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergency head, has cautioned, however, that past drops in cases were followed by dramatic increases. He did add, though, that nations with high vaccination rates had less to worry about and that “vaccines work,” as “it shows us.”
  • The Delta variation will not be the only COVID19 variant to cause worry, according to Maria Van Kerkhove of the WHO. She suggested that we enhance immunisation efforts, strengthen surveillance systems, test efficiently, manage crowds correctly, communicate consistently, and repair ventilation in order to combat the same.

 

THE COVID-19 VACCINE SUMMIT –

  • During the online COVID-19 summit conference, which was hosted on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York by the US President Joe Biden set high targets for ending the pandemic. While dubbing the coronavirus an “all-hands-on-deck” catastrophe, US President Barack Obama encouraged international leaders to adopt the goal of vaccination 70% of the globe by next year.
  • Also, he announced the acquisition of an extra 500 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine at a not-for-profit price of $370 million, as well as the administration of the injections. Vice President Kamala Harris said that the United States will contribute $250 million to a new global fund aimed at raising $10 billion to avoid pandemics in the future.

 

 

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