Will India face a third wave

In March 2021, when people had started to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, using masks and adherence to physical distancing was not as strict as the last few months of 2020, the country was struck by an even deadlier and fatal ‘second wave’ of the virus. 

The daily count of COVID19 cases started to increase again, 3 weeks after the 2nd wave had already ended according to the people.

As COVID cases decreased, states & UTs began the process of unlocking. But, the risk of a ‘third deadly wave’ is still there.

The Delhi and Maharashtra Chief Ministers were quick to admit the possibility of a 3rd wave and that the precautionary measures were underway to fight the fatal 3rd wave of the pandemic.

What do we mean by the waves in coronavirus pandemic?

A wave is a very usual phenomenon in any pandemic. An outbreak is usually calculated in waves according to the increase or decrease in the numbers of cases after a long duration of respite which generally shows that the actual number of cases has diminished.

Something similar happened in the month of March and April this year.

With a rapid increase in the total number of cases on 22nd April, 2021, India surpassed United States in the highest number of cases by recording 314,835 cases as compared to 297,430 cases in US in the month of January.

All records were broken when India, on 6th May 2021, recorded the highest number of cases (412,262) in a single day.

Will the 3rd wave strike India?

According to Mr. Satish Kumar Gadi, who is a senor physician and has served as a doctor in the Indian Armed Forces and has also worked as the in the Indian Railways as the Chief Medical Director, “The probability of a third wave is very much there.”

India should closely monitor and further strengthen its supervision of the indicators and symptoms of COVID-19 in order to reduce the possible chances of a 3rd wave.

It is also believed and reiterated by many scientists that continuous surveillance of the cases, data analysis and research from the entire period of 1st and the 2nd wave will be extremely helpful in dealing and possibly mitigating the 3rd wave of the

COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, it is being said that Brazil has already prepared itself for the 3rd wave of the virus.

Will the 3rd wave prove to be more deadly to children than adults as per the predictions?

As per the records, we cannot say clearly whether the 3rd wave poses a higher risk of infection to the children or not. 

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in the month of June asked the Union Ministry of Health and the states to undertake precautionary measures and prepare for the possible 3rd wave.

Which in the expert opinion will mostly affect the children and the young generation adversely.

However, many other health experts have also clarified that there is no scientific or physical evidence of the same and children are not as vulnerable to the effects of this predicted 3rd wave of coronavirus pandemic.