Serum Institute of India, the maker of Covaxin covid vaccine, has helped India achieve a high degree of vaccination rate against Covid. India is recording about 1,200 new infections a week. Globally some 3.5 million cases are being recorded every week.

Citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in China and elsewhere, the Indian government on Tuesday asked all states to step up surveillance for any new variants of the coronavirus. India has reported the most COVID cases in the world after the United States but its tally of confirmed infections has fallen sharply in the past few months.

A recent surge of infections in neighbouring China after it ended its strict COVID restrictions has led to concern that new variants could emerge.

“In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, the United States of America, Republic of Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples,” Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in a letter to states on Tuesday.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, the MD of Apollo Hospitals, has agrees with Poonawala’s views. 

“Given India’s extensive Covid Vaccines drive with effective vaccines, there is no need for panic on the surge in COVID cases in China. However having said that there is no place for inertia. We must act swiftly on our policy regarding air travel to and from China,” she said. 

She however described the China situation as worrisome. “This is worrisome because what happens in #China doesn’t stay in — Wuhan was R lesson 3 yrs ago. The current COVID spread in China is not only an unfolding tragedy for China but exposes the (global) population to great risk,” she said in another tweet.