"We don't necessarily know that all of the case that are being reported are of the XE variant unless we sequence them all," Dr Kang told NDTV
Dr Kang said, "XE is a derivative of Omicron. In terms of what we know about Omicron
She said the gradual rise in cases cannot be yet called the onset of a fourth wave. "Saying so would be a stretch," Dr Kang said
"We have got pretty good protection against a range of different kinds of viruses. This was clearly demonstrated in the Omicron wave," she said.
Dr Kang indicated parents would do well not to worry too much as schools have opened.
I think if you have to get a Covid infection the best time to get it is when you are a healthy child. Basically, children who are infected do not manifest with symptoms in the majority
Recent sero surveys indicate 80 per children have already been infected. We should not expect protection from infection
So the data that parents should be looking at is really not about the cases, or about the number of children who were detected to have infection
It should really be among the infected children how many wound up needing hospitalisation? And we will see that those numbers are very very few.
Dr Kang said all this data indicates that closing educational institutes in a panic would not be an ideal move.