After the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared an end to the Covid-19 pandemic in May 2023, people let their guards down. Mandatory preventive measures like staying in quarantine, wearing masks, using sanitisers, washing hands and maintaining social distance were quickly ditched. Vaccination drives also slowed down. Healthcare facilities stopped stockpiling test kits as people didn’t get tested for Covid-like symptoms, even as new variants surfaced. Come 2025, people had begun to believe that the chapter on deadly virus had closed, but another variant—JN.1, a descendant of the Omicron BA.2.86—emerged.

The variant, which spreads seven times faster than the flu, has already raised alarms in Southeast Asia and India. In Hong Kong, the coronavirus cases have reached their highest in a year, with around 30 deaths. Singapore saw 14,200 cases as of May 3 this year, while Thailand witnessed 19 deaths and 71,067 infections between January 1 and May 14. Concomitantly, more than 250 cases are active in India, with infections reported in Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Nepal has reported only one case since January, and there is no immediate cause for panic. Still, we cannot be complacent. Given Nepal’s geographical proximity to India, the country is not immune to the virus. In the past, just as cases spiked in the southern neighbour, infections rose on this side as well. Despite this, currently, there are no mandatory surveillance measures at the Tribhuvan International Airport—the country’s primary international gateway, which receives tourists from Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and India. Relaxed border surveillance has also increased the risks of cases entering via land routes.

The Kerala health ministry, indicating the possibility of a rise in infections, has issued a mask advisory for high-risk groups and hospital visits in addition to testing and preparedness guidelines. Following suit, officials at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Nepal, met with relevant stakeholders and agencies on Thursday to ramp up prevention and surveillance in the airport, borders and entry points—and rightly so. They have also requested the World Health Organisation’s office in Nepal to supply the test kits. Besides this, officials at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, in Teku, Kathmandu, have been asked to treat people entering Nepal from virus-hit countries who show Covid-19-like symptoms.

Such efforts are laudable, but they must be extended to other densely populated cities. As vital is raising awareness on safety measures. Given that the variant has primarily affected elderly people, senior citizens and children in Hong Kong and Thailand, younger citizens must be sensitised to the repercussions of their negligence on vulnerable groups and be asked to get tested.

Health experts in Nepal have also warned about the waning immunity gained from previous infections and vaccinations, suggesting that it could prove fatal for the weak, immunocompromised and vulnerable groups like the elderly and children. Doctors in Singapore have also noted that a key reason for the recent spikes in cases is weaker immunity due to the decline in booster dose take-up. Countries like Australia are still giving booster doses to their citizens, and perhaps now is the right time for Nepal to consider resuming vaccine administration. Nepal’s health ministry and officials would be wise to heed the expert warnings. The public must also do their bit by returning to the basics of wearing masks and following necessary preventive measures.

While the strength of the new variant is uncertain, it is pivotal to be vigilant rather than regret later. Lest we forget the Covid-19 pandemic has taken the lives of millions—including over 12,000 Nepalis—and there are still many people who are vulnerable to the recent variant.