Next 125 days crucial: Health experts warn against possible third wave as COVID downtrend slows down

Scientists and health experts across the country have cautioned people to maintain COVID-19 appropriate behaviour for the next 125 days that are said to be crucial to minimise the effect of the possible third wave. Alerts have been extended from overcrowded public places to religious conglomerations which experts have said can be the obvious possible epicentre, if not restricted at the moment.

While terming the next 125 days as crucial, the Union Health Ministry has observed that fall in COVID cases has slowed down which should be treated as a warning sign.

Further, commenting on the country’s vaccination drive, Dr VK Paul, Member of NITI Aayog said India has not reached the stage of herd immunity yet, adding that it does not want to acquire herd immunity through infections either.

The Union Health Ministry also termed the delta variant, which caused havoc this year in April causing high causality, as ‘variant of concern’ as it has ‘high infectivity and transmissibility’. However, now its further mutant Delta Plus is said to be perhaps more critical for immune escape and antibody response.

Dr Arvind Kumar, Director and Head of Department, Paediatrics, Fortis Shalimar Bagh, said, “The second wave started as a small focus in the country and because of repeated faulting of COVID behaviour it spread like wildfire. It caused a lot of morbidity and mortality. The third wave has been predicted based on the model of other countries as well as our behaviour and a high degree of infectiousness of this delta virus.”

“Our children become vulnerable if the adult population is infected. Children above five years should wear a mask,” the paediatrician said.