Social humour: Discovery of Omicron Covid-19 variant sparks memefest on Twitter

The detection of new Covid-19 variant ‘Omicron’ (B.1.1.529) by South Africa has created a fresh wave of panic and despondency on social media.

Omicron’s emergence has led to travel bans and new restrictions in many countries across the world. The Indian government has also issued fresh guidelines on Sunday, mandating RT-PCR test on arrival for all passengers from

Covid

at-risk countries.


Based on preliminary analysis of Omicron infections in South Africa and elsewhere, experts suggest that it has six times higher potential to spread (R value) than the Delta, which wreaked havoc in India.


On a positive side, Covishield and Covaxin jabs can prevent hospitalisation or death that may result from the new Botswana variant, the Covid-19 virus’s most mutated version as yet, virologists and infectious diseases experts have said.


Meanwhile, netizens, who have had enough of lockdowns and restrictions, and were hoping for a better 2022, have now started posted memes expressing their fears in a humorous fashion.




Word!


Nah, not again please



What’s in a name


Is it all designed?


WHO needs to wake up


Spare no thought for covidiots


Point


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