The daily COVID-19 caseload in Telangana when schools and other educational institutions were shut for the second time following signs of the pandemic second wave and the current case tally, exactly five months later, is nearly the same. Notwithstanding that, the State government has announced that all educational institutions will be reopened from September 1.
On March 23, the State had recorded 431 cases when the Education Minister P. Sabitha Indira Reddy announced in the Assembly that all educational institutions, with the exception of medical colleges, will be closed from March 24. Back then, the daily tests varied from 60,000 to 70,000.
Over the past four days (August 20-23), around 75,000 samples are being tested every day, leading to the detection of 350-370 infections. On Sunday, the number of tests fell to around 47,000 and only 231 cases were recorded.
Then vs. now
The major difference between then and now is the intensity of the second wave. The second wave was taking root when schools were shut from March 24, but it is on the decline now.
Signs of the second wave were observed in the second week of March. In fact, one of the early warnings appeared in the form of cluster of COVID cases among students at schools and hostels.
From a maximum of 170 new infections in a day till March 7, the daily caseload reached 887 by the month-end. The second wave intensified and peaked in April fourth week. On April 26, as many as 10,122 people were detected with the virus, the highest daily total in the State recorded since the beginning of the pandemic.
Currently, the second wave is on the wane. Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao, on August 18, said that the COVID-19 second wave in Telangana has come to an end and that now is the time to reopen schools and other educational institutions.
Markers
Apart from the dailycase load, other factors which are considered to measure the intensity of a COVID wave include the number of ICU beds and oxygen occupied by COVID patients and daily oxygen consumption at hospitals.
On March 23, a total of 580 ICU beds were occupied by COVID patients and on August 23, the number stood at 1,091.
Parents concerned
Following the State government’s decision to reopen educational institutions from September 1, a section of parents has expressed concern that it may trigger the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
Senior Health officials earlier said that the risk factors which could trigger third wave are a large number of unvaccinated population, lack of COVID-appropriate precautions and a new variant. They have also mentioned that new variants of coronavirus are seen when large sections of people are not immunised, or do not have antibodies to fight the virus.
