A COVID-19 third wave cannot be ruled out but it can be avoided if COVID-appropriate behaviour is strictly followed, at least for the next few months.
This is the opinion of experts from the medical field who are keeping their fingers crossed on the issue.
In order to keep the third wave at bay, district COVID special officer and principal of Andhra Medical College Prof. P.V. Sudhakar says, “There are two important things that we need to follow now. Primarily, we cannot let down the guard on COVID-appropriate behaviour (CAB) and secondly, we need to complete the second dose of vaccination on a war footing.”
When it comes to CAB, health experts stress wearing of masks and avoiding social gathering.
Many people are seen not wearing masks even in public places and no social distancing norms are being followed in social gatherings, says Dr. M.V. Vijay Sekhar, neuro surgeon of KGH.
The doctors are of the opinion that public places such as beaches, malls, restaurants and cinema theatres are seeing huge rush, especially on weekends and the norms are not being followed. Even the restrictions on crowd in wedding ceremonies are not being adhered to, they say.
Since the cases are coming down, people appear to have become complacent and are not coming forward for the second dose of COVID vaccine, they opine.
There is a drop in footfalls for the second dose, especially in the neighbouring districts, and this is not a healthy sign as inter-district travel is a common thing, says Dr. Sudhakar.
Cases in China, U.S.
On the rise in cases in countries such as China and the U.S.A., experts say it may not have a direct impact on India, as travel restrictions are in force. Moreover, the two countries are seeing a spurt in cases due to the Delta variant and it is their third and fourth wave. We have already seen that variant in the second wave and it is now dying down. Though there is no confirmed study, there is an understanding that since we have already seen the most powerful COVID-19 variant (Delta) in our second wave, it might have suppressed the mutation, opines Dr. Sudhakar.
Well prepared
Meanwhile, according to District Collector A. Mallikarjuna, the district administration and the health sector is fully geared up to tackle the third wave, if it comes.
“With the setting up of two RT-PCR labs at Anakapalle and Narsipatnam, our lab strength in the district has increased and now we can test close to 10,000 samples per day,” he says.
All the 7,500 beds in 74 hospitals, including in the private sector, have been oxygenated and the district administration has purchased 3,000 D-Type oxygen cylinders and 2,200 oxygen concentrators. “This apart, we now have 20 oxygen generation plants and 200 special beds for children, with some equipped with paediatric ventilators, he says.
