Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Staying prepared: On scaling up the pace of COVID-19 genome sequencing

Staying prepared: On scaling up the pace of COVID-19 genome sequencing

India needs to scale up (increase, step up, intensify, boost, escalate, expand, augment) the pace (गति, दर) of its genome sequencing

Three years after strict enforcement (प्रवर्तन, प्रचलन) of its Zero-COVID strategy (रणनीति, कूटनीति), China abandoned it abruptly (अचानक, अप्रत्याशित रूप से), leading to (नेतृत्व करने के लिए) a jump (छलांग, वृद्धि) in cases each day — an estimated 250 million people were infected in 20 days in December, according to the media, overwhelming (crowded, swamped, overburdened, overloaded, flooded, inundated, clogged) hospitals and crematoria. Based on 30 genome sequences (क्रम, श्रेणी) deposited (जमा करना) between October and December and 14 genome (the genetic material (a complete set of DNA, including all of its genes) of an organism. The sum total of the genetic material of a cell or an organism) sequences in December alone from China, the BF.7 appears to be the dominant (प्रभुत्व वाला, सबसे अधिक शक्तिशाली) variant. Though this variant (प्रकार) was found in many countries, including India, months ago, there is fear that the uncontrolled spread of the virus in China may result in (परिणाम होना, कारण) newer variants with an even higher transmissibility. For instance (उदाहरण के लिए), the BF.7 sub-lineage (उप-वंश) with three additional immune escape (it occurs when the immune system of a host, especially of a human being, is unable to respond to an infectious agent, or in other words that the host’s immune system is no longer able to recognize and eliminate a pathogen such as a virus) mutations already seen in other variants has been found in some people arriving from China; these mutations may increase transmissibility (probability of infection given contact between a susceptible and infected individual) further but will not increase disease severity (seriousness). With a case surge (sudden increase or rise of something) in a few more countries, India has taken the right and proactive (सक्रिय, सावधान, दूरदर्शी) measures (action, step, procedure) to be ready for any eventuality (a possible outcome, possibility). With over 90% of the adult population already fully vaccinated (inoculate, administer, introduce (with a vaccine to provide immunity against a disease)) by July this year, over one-fourth of adults also boosted (inoculate, administer, introduce (with a booster dose)), and a large percentage of the population also naturally infected, the chances of India witnessing (see, observe, view) large-scale deaths as seen during the second wave last year from existing variants are slim (small, slight, feeble, marginal, negligible). In fact (actually, in actuality, really, in reality), given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) that a large percentage of the population enjoys hybrid immunity (natural immunity from an infection combined with the immunity provided by the vaccine. The hybrid immunity offers stronger protection than just infection or full vaccination alone) from vaccination (treatment with a vaccine to protect against a particular disease; immunization) and natural infection leading to all Omicron sub-lineages causing only a mild disease, the focus in India should not be on daily new infections but only on any increase in hospitalisations (the act of taking (or) admitting someone to (or) in hospital for treatment), particularly ICU admissions.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the Health Ministry has urged (request, demand, call for, call on, appeal to) States to only ramp up (increase (in amount or number)) genome sequencing (and not increase testing) to track (note the progress of something) new variants as the virus evolves (develop, progress, advance) by accumulating (gather, collect, assemble, amass, garner) mutations. The pace of genome sequencing in India has to be scaled up soon after a dramatic (considerable, substantial, large, significant) slowdown (decline, reduction, decrease) this year. The Government in an effort to minimise the chances of the spread of new variants has introduced 2% random post-arrival sampling of international passengers and mandatory RT-PCR tests for arrivals from China and four other countries. The Ministry has also advised States to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen and conduct a drill (training, instruction) in health facilities to ensure operational readiness (preparedness). With seven COVID-19 vaccines, including the intranasal vaccine (a vaccine that is administered by way of the nasal structures), manufactured using different vaccine platforms (principles) approved for use, India is vaccine self-sufficient (self-supporting, self-sustaining, self-reliant, independent (and so needing no outside assistance)). Besides homologous boosters, a couple of vaccines have got approval as a heterologous booster dose too. On the antiviral front, a Hyderabad-based company recently received WHO’s prequalification for a generic (unbranded, untrademarked, non-proprietary) version of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral ((of medicines) taken by the mouth) antiviral drug, Paxlovid (a treatment regimen (pill) developed by Pfizer Inc. for treating mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults and children 12 years and older, who are likely to be at greater risk for severe infection).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.pace (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गति, दर
English Meaning - speed, rate.

2.sequence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - क्रम, श्रेणी
English Meaning - the complete order of compounds/building blocks (nucleotides) of nucleic acids, such as RNA or DNA.

3.enforcement (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रवर्तन, प्रचलन
English Meaning - imposition, implementation, application, execution, discharge; forcing, compelling, demanding.

4.strategy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रणनीति, कूटनीति
English Meaning - plan of action (in order to achieve a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests).

5.abruptly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अचानक, अप्रत्याशित रूप से
English Meaning - suddenly, unexpectedly.

6.lead to (verb)

Hindi Meaning - नेतृत्व करने के लिए
English Meaning - result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.

7.jump (noun)

Hindi Meaning - छलांग, वृद्धि
English Meaning - a sudden dramatic rise, increase; upsurge, upswing, escalation.

8.crematorium/crematoria (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शवदाहगृह, श्मशान
English Meaning - a place for the cremation of the dead (person). Cremation is a method of the final disposition of a dead body through burning.

9.deposit (verb)

Hindi Meaning - जमा करना
English Meaning - place, settle (in a particular place).

10.sub-lineage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उप-वंश
English Meaning - a group of similar viruses within a lineage.

11.dominant (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रभुत्व वाला, सबसे अधिक शक्तिशाली
English Meaning - most powerful.

12.variant (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रकार
English Meaning - different form or version or mutant of something (virus); strain, variety, kind, type..

13.result in (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - परिणाम होना, कारण
English Meaning - cause, bring on, bring about.

14.for instance (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - उदाहरण के लिए
English Meaning - as an example.

15.proactive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सक्रिय, सावधान, दूरदर्शी
English Meaning - cautious, careful, foreseeing, wise.

16.genome (noun)

English Meaning - the genetic material (a complete set of DNA, including all of its genes) of an organism. The sum total of the genetic material of a cell or an organism.

17.scale up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - increase, step up, intensify, boost, escalate, expand, augment.

18.genome sequence (noun)

English Meaning - a process that determines the order, or sequence, of the DNA (nucleotides i.e., A, C, G and U) in each of the genes present in the virus’s genome.

19.overwhelming (adjective)

English Meaning - crowded, swamped, overburdened, overloaded, flooded, inundated, clogged.

20.BF.7 variant (noun)

English Meaning - BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5 and has the strongest infection ability. The BF.7 is the same as BA.5.2.1.7, which is a sub-lineage of the Omicron sub-lineage BA.5.

21.lineage/clade (noun)

English Meaning - a genetically closely related group of virus variants derived from a common ancestor.

22.Omicron variant (noun)

English Meaning - On 26 November 2021, WHO designated the (new coronavirus) variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, named Omicron, on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). The first known confirmed Omicron infection was from a specimen collected on November 9. In recent weeks, infections in South Africa have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection.

23.transmissibility (noun)

English Meaning - probability of infection given contact between a susceptible and infected individual.

24.immune escape/evasion (noun)

English Meaning - it occurs when the immune system of a host, especially of a human being, is unable to respond to an infectious agent, or in other words that the host’s immune system is no longer able to recognize and eliminate a pathogen such as a virus.

25.mutation (noun)

English Meaning - a significant and basic “alteration/variation” in the DNA sequence.

26.severity (noun)

English Meaning - seriousness.

27.surge (noun)

English Meaning - sudden increase or rise of something.

28.measure (noun)

English Meaning - action, step, procedure.

29.eventuality (noun)

English Meaning - a possible outcome, possibility.

30.vaccinate (verb)

English Meaning - inoculate, administer, introduce (with a vaccine to provide immunity against a disease).

31.boost (verb)

English Meaning - inoculate, administer, introduce (with a booster dose).

32.booster dose (noun)

English Meaning - In medical terms, a booster dose is an extra administration of a vaccine after an earlier dose.

33.witness (verb)

English Meaning - see, observe, view.

34.slim (adjective)

English Meaning - small, slight, feeble, marginal, negligible.

35.in fact (phrase)

English Meaning - actually, in actuality, really, in reality.

36.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

37.hybrid immunity (noun)

English Meaning - natural immunity from an infection combined with the immunity provided by the vaccine. The hybrid immunity offers stronger protection than just infection or full vaccination alone.

38.vaccination (noun)

English Meaning - treatment with a vaccine to protect against a particular disease; immunization.

39.hospitalisation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of taking (or) admitting someone to (or) in hospital for treatment.

40.it is not surprising that (phrase)

English Meaning - as expected.

41.urge (verb)

English Meaning - request, demand, call for, call on, appeal to.

42.ramp up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - increase (in amount or number).

43.track (verb)

English Meaning - note the progress of something.

44.evolve (verb)

English Meaning - develop, progress, advance.

45.accumulate (adjective)

English Meaning - gather, collect, assemble, amass, garner.

46.dramatic (adjective)

English Meaning - considerable, substantial, large, significant.

47.slowdown (noun)

English Meaning - decline, reduction, decrease.

48.RT-PCR testing (noun)

English Meaning - Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Testing; it is one of the most accurate laboratory methods for detecting, tracking, and studying the coronavirus. It is a nuclear-derived method for detecting the presence of specific genetic material from any pathogen, including a virus. (pathogen is a bacteria/virus that causes disease).

49.drill (noun)

English Meaning - training, instruction.

50.readiness (noun)

English Meaning - preparedness.

51.vaccine (noun)

English Meaning - a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.

52.intranasal (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a vaccine that is administered by way of the nasal structures.

53.intranasal vaccine (noun)

English Meaning - a vaccine that is administered by way of the nasal structures.

54.platform (noun)

English Meaning - principles.

55.self-sufficient (adjective)

English Meaning - self-supporting, self-sustaining, self-reliant, independent (and so needing no outside assistance).

56.homologous vaccine booster (noun)

English Meaning - A homologous booster shot involves the administration of the same vaccine as previously administered.

57.heterologous vaccine booster (noun)

English Meaning - A heterologous vaccine booster shot involves the administration of of a different vaccine.

58.World Health Organization (WHO) (noun)

English Meaning - Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable - so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health.

59.generic (adjective)

English Meaning - unbranded, untrademarked, non-proprietary.

60.oral (adjective)

English Meaning - (of medicines) taken by the mouth.

61.antiviral drugs (noun)

English Meaning - a class of medication used specifically for treating viral infections.

62.Paxlovid (noun)

English Meaning - a treatment regimen (pill) developed by Pfizer Inc. for treating mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults and children 12 years and older, who are likely to be at greater risk for severe infection.