I
Sir,
This is with regard to a report regarding fine on people not wearing masks/ big gatherings.The police action though late is a very welcome step. The drive should remain there till viruse is wiped out.
All, people should understand how deadly is this Covid virus and how much toll it has taken of mankind. Lakhs of people have died.
We,all should make ourselves and others also safe by following Covid protocal and help the Government in their efforts.
Sayan Aryan
II
Sir,
Will there be a third wave of Covid -19? The Health Ministry has been warning of a possible third wave for some weeks now, although no one knows whether it will hit India at all and, if it does, how severe will it be. Covid 19 has had its periods of surge and lull, and right now, it is a lull.
The Covid attack has hit over 220 countries and territories since 2020 January. The virus had infected almost 252 million people worldwide, and the number of deaths had reached five million. The most severely affected countries include the U.S., Brazil, and India.
Health experts say that covid will not go away, and we have to live with it. They also predicted that the present lull could be the calm before the storm and a third wave is a distinct possibility. The national curve seems to have entered a declining phase now, after having peaked on May 6.
Some experts believe that, if a third wave hits now, it is likely to be weaker than the previous one. Also, India is better prepared to deal with a third wave. Central and State Governments have said that they are more prepared to tackle the third wave. Nationally, India has added many more hospital beds in the past few months and imported more than 100 oxygen carriers to raise these to about 1,250.
The initial hesitancy of the public has now given place to confidence, and more and more people are coming forward to get vaccinated. When the vaccination drive began early this year, even many educated people adopted a ‘wait and watch ‘attitude.
In the last year, the Centre and the States have improved health care, increased beds in both public and private hospitals, and made Covid guidelines mandatory. The states are also geared to deal with the situation.
Unfortunately, we see, particularly during the festivities, many people have become careless. Nature has also played its role, and people affected by rains and floods cannot follow the protocols when facing threats to their lives and property.
The carelessness is also due to the belief that the worst is over. Memories of India’s devastating second wave of Covid-19 are slowly receding. In cities malls and parks are crowded after relaxation of covid regulations. Business is coming back, and all this give an impression that covid is over. Even the Government had believed in March last when the then Health Minister Harsh Vardhan declared that covid is dead in India.
However, it is better to be cautious than sorry. While the Governments could do only that much, the onus is on the general public also to cooperate. They must be more conscious of the danger spreading covid by not following regulations.
Kalyani Shankar
On e-mail
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