Senior citizens must exercise caution due to new Covid variants: Guleria

Scientists, physicians, and senior administrators suggested to ramp up surveillance and genome sequencing

Amid an increase in Omicron XBB variant cases, Dr Randeep Guleria, former director of Delhi AIIMS, has advised seniors citizens to stay home and to opt Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, a media report said on Thursday.

As many as 18 cases were reported of XBB variant from Maharashtra on October 19. The new variant has also been detected in Kerala and other regions of India.

The decision to continue observing Covid appropriate behaviour, including mask wearing, came after a high-level meeting between Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and other senior health officials on October 18.

On Monday, India detected