Since the time COVID-19 hit and spread across the world, one of the worst affected countries has been India. The number of deaths, need for extra hospital beds at all times, demand for the medicines, the funeral pyres and cemeteries are proof enough of that. The country however lived off a major pandemic and the surge of cases during the second wave but are we truly prepared for the third wave?
Even though the doctors, the government seem to believe that the impact of this wave would be a lot lesser and cause minimal damage the number of increasing cases do not seem to agree. Since the Christmas and New Years, the number of cases at present are close to 6 lakh. However there are even more of asymptomatic cases, people who do not wish to test themselves, people who refuse to inform the local authorities and many more who are not even part of this huge number. On 7th of January , India reported 1,17,00 Covid-19 cases within 24 hours. The Covid-19 third wave peak in India is expected to arrive at the end of this month with daily cases of four to eight lakh (seven-day average).
As of 9th January, Mumbai and Delhi hit 50,000 to 60,000 daily cases in a week’s time. However just 21% of hospital beds are occupied in Mumbai, with only 3000 patients on oxygen support which clearly indicates the effectiveness of vaccine. The intensity and effect of the virus is evidently less on those vaccinated. The chances of recovering are high and the getting infected rates are low for them, which means getting vaccinated is of top importance. The active cases have increased to 9,55,319, the highest in 211 days, while the death toll has climbed to 4,84,655 with 442 fresh fatalities, the data updated on 12th January.
The cases look manageable right now due to less hospitalization rate but once that changes it will be difficult to manage the rate and keep available hospital beds. As public it is so important for us to understand the necessity to follow the guidelines and Covid protocols. The second wave hit the country so bad last year that the number of deaths crossed the first wave too. India as a country is not prepared economically, socially, or in any form to face another lockdown which looks like the last option we have to curb the risk.
As a young adult who has been home for almost two years without any social life or new experiences like dining or hanging out with friends, I do understand the desperate need to be out. It is almost an urgency to be out now but why risk everything now, after two years of constant fighting the virus and reaching a middle ground. Like we say it’s the last leg, if we all manage and keep ourselves in control then we once again will be able to get out freely.
It is reported that the third wave should be a flat line by March if everything goes like predicted. This wave thankfully has not been very dangerous until now since the effects are mild due to vaccination but the risk is one hundred percent still there. There were viral cases everywhere, for the first week of the month all we could hear was somebody getting cold –cough or fever.
Many of us have started using the Covid test at home which is not completely effective and has resulted in a lot of unreported cases, false results, and the spread of viruses. As much as we refuse to believe it, it is true that the third wave is here, we need to go back to stricter guidelines and start keeping ourselves in control. This time unlike the second wave, the curb of this one is in our hands as citizens. To make people aware around us, remind our friends to stay home and do everything we can to fight this one well.
Written by- Jinal S Mehta
Edited by- Oishika Ghoshal