00:00I took the COVID-19 test. It's 2025. COVID seems to be surging all around us.
00:06And masks start making appearances. Yes, there is an enormous viral load in the air and water
00:12all around us. People are testing positive and offices are on high alert yet again.
00:17As a painful reminder of our not-so-long-ago past forces us into reality.
00:22Ironically, in 2020, we were all locked down even before COVID hit Indian shows.
00:26But five years and two vaccines ahead, with more than 5,500 active recorded cases and
00:32counting, not many seem to be bothering getting tested in India.
00:36What's more, people are avoiding conversations around the topic.
00:39After a close friend tested positive a few days back, I took the home test, which brought
00:43back haunting flashes of a not-so-bygone past. Here are five things I realized after being
00:49in close contact with someone who caught the latest strain of the ominous virus.
00:53One, it's getting harder to distinguish between seasonal flu and mild COVID. Case in point,
00:58many people who think they have a flu actually have contracted COVID, but don't know since
01:03testing is not as commonplace now. Two, joint pain is coming up as a new symptom in this variant.
01:09Accompanied by dizziness and consistent headaches, it can be a distinguishing factor to common cold,
01:13as per reports and patient experiences.
01:16Third, a big relief to the medical fraternity is that the latest strain comes from the Omicron family.
01:21India's latest COVID wave is caused by two new coronavirus variants, NB1.8.1 and LF.7,
01:28mutations of the Omicron offspring JN1 variant.
01:32Four, as long as hospitalizations and death rates don't increase, the number of absolute
01:37cases being reported are directly proportional to testing, and hence, not a big cause of concern,
01:42since most can be treated at home.
01:44And five, the fear factor is real. Even a suspicion of contracting COVID is still enough
01:50to send people reeling and trigger PTSD, as I experienced after telling my contact history
01:55to office colleagues. What are your thoughts on the developing cases in India? Let us know
01:59in the comments below.
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