Second wave of COVID-19 just around the corner: Next 3 months critical, says Health Minister Vardhan

India may see a second wave of COVID-19 in the winter months and testing, contact tracing, and early diagnosis is essential to keep fatality rate low, says Health minister Vardhan.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Published: October 24, 2020 10:40 am

The health minister stressed on the importance of COVID-appropriate behaviour at all times and especially during the festival and winter season.

According to the health Ministry, the next three months are going to be decisive in determining how the COVID-19 pandemic plays out in India. Union Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan, says that people need follow COVID norms during festive season since a second wave of the disease is likely to hit the country in the cold winter months. He said this while addressing a review meeting with officials of the Uttar Pradesh government. The minister also stressed on the importance of COVID-appropriate behaviour at all times and especially during the festival and winter season. Also Read - Akshay Kumar, Piyush Mishra, Sonam Kapoor and more Bollywood celebs who opened up on facing sexual abuse in childhood

Precautions must in all situations

“Appropriate measures are being taken to combat COVID-19. But the next three months are going to be decisive in determining the situation of COVID-19 in the country. If we take adequate precaution and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour in the coming festival and winter season, we will be in a better position to fight corona,” Vardhan said. He also stressed on the importance of focusing on increasing testing, surveillance, contact tracing, and early diagnosis to keep the fatality rate low. “For a big state like Uttar Pradesh, it becomes important that maximum thrust is given to simple precautionary measures which are effective in preventing the coronavirus pandemic to a large extent like wearing face mask/face cover especially in public spaces, and following hand and respiratory etiquettes,” he said. Also Read - Test Article 2 Covid 19 3rd wave

India sees improvement in COVID parameters

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India today stands at 78,14,682 and the number of deaths in the country as of date is 1,17,956. The minister said that in the last three months, the country has seen significant improvement in COVID parameters. “The number of active cases is less than 7 lakh and the doubling rate has increased to 97.2 days, as of now. The journey which started from having just one lab, we have come a long way in now having nearly 2000 labs in the country. The number of total tests conducted across the country has surpassed 10 crores. This is a positive indication that we are moving in the right direction,” Vardhan said. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 10,757,610 while death toll reaches 1,54,392 12d

What science says about the virus spreading in winter

One thing that is predictable about the novel coronavirus virus is that it is very unpredictable. Researchers do not know how the virus will behave in colder temperatures. But many studies say that it may survive longer during the winters. In a report published in The Print, Klaus Stohr, an infectious disease expert who was earlier with the WHO, said that the novel coronavirus is not be very different from other respiratory diseases, which usually strike during winter. According to The Academy of Medical Sciences, UK, this is likely to be a peak in hospital admissions and deaths in January/February 2021 with a similar magnitude to that of the first wave in spring 2020. Another study by researchers at IIT-Bhubaneswar and AIIMS also suggest that the decrease in temperatures will lead to the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : October 24, 2020 10:40 am

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