As the cases keep soaring everyday, Prof K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific adviser to the Centre, said on Wednesday that the country should be ready for a third wave. He pointed out that the further waves of the pandemic are ‘inevitable’.
He emphasised the need of strengthening the surveillance as well as upgrade vaccines against new variants. He talked about the need of maintaining mask hygiene and social distancing norms.
Raghavan warned that even after infection rates subside, the country should be ready for a third wave. India has been recording daily deaths and a surge in cases after the second wave of coronavirus. The cases went up to 1 in 4 death globally.
The time scale at the next wave is yet unknown. “But it is not clear on what timescale this Phase 3 will occur… We should prepare for new waves,” said the advisor during a news briefing.
India on Thursday reported a record 412,262 new COVID-19 cases and 3,980 deaths. However, medical professionals say that the actual number of cases would be more than this. Also, the number of deaths too is reported less, according to a lot of frontline workers.
“A phase three (of Covid-19 pandemic) is inevitable given the high levels of circulating virus…Hopefully, incrementally, but we should prepare for new waves,” said Prof Raghavan.
“We have to follow COVID appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated. The scientific community is working at mapping the possible changes that can occur in the virus to ensure that our preparedness and response remains robust,’’ he stated.
While the nature of the virus is to mutate, basic precautions will help.
“What we do know is that mutations will go on but we need to keep a scientific watch on these changes. The response to these changing viruses, however, remains the same and it starts with our personal behaviour,’’ said Dr Paul.