Even after nearly 3 years, COVID remains a threat to us mostly because the virus is still mutating. The latest variant of Omicron is a cause of concern as it is said to spreading faster than its predecessors and has immune escape properties. So even if you are vaccinated and also boosted, you still need to be careful. Let's dig deeper to understand, what you can do to further increase your immunity.
XBB is a recombinant variant and it formed after 2 Omicron sublineages - BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 have combined. World Health Organisation (WHO) in its epidemiological report said, from the sequences submitted to GISAID, XBB has a global prevalence of 1.3% and it has been detected in 35 countries
So far, 36 cases of XBB were detected in Maharashtra. Of these, 32 patients had recovered in home isolation and the other 4 were hospitalized for precaution.
Barring two of the 36 patients, all had been vaccinated, and five had taken the booster dose as well. Six XBB patients had been diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier. Against the backdrop of the XBB detections, a meeting of the State COVID-19 Task Force was held on October 24.
Experts have opined, this variant does not cause any serious symptoms, however, it has immune escape abilities.
"After studying the XBB variant found in Maharashtra, Singapore and elsewhere, (it has been observed that) even if the infections increase, the new variant seems mild and most patients could be treated in home isolation. Minimal number of patients may need hospitalization," a Maharashtra government release said.
The best way to deal with them is to keep the immunity quotient high throughout the year, ie through exercise and diet.
Here is a list of foods that can further boost your immunity:
Green tea: It is extremely rich in antioxidant and can highly boost immunity.
Yogurt: Fermented foods are excellent sources of good bacteria that keep your gut healthy.
Vegetables, fruits and nuts: A proper combination of these three is the best source of nutrients needed to keep yourself healthy.
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