JOIN USCovid on wane but complacency dangerous
Experts now believe that an outbreak of the Covid-19 third wave is unlikely, but that should be no reason for the government or the public to let their guard down and throw caution to the wind as any complacency at this crucial stage would only turn the clock back nullifying the gains made so far. While the government did take necessary precautions to prevent large congregations during major festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr and Gauri Ganesha, over 10,000 people had gathered in and around Mysuru palace to watch the Dasara festivities ignoring all Covid protocols.
The two Assembly byelections in the North Karnataka region this month may also hold forth a threat, given the disdain for following precautions. Experts feel another resurgence of the virus is remote due to a high seroprevalence rate and increase in vaccination coverage. Active cases in the state which had breached the six-lakh mark in mid-May, are now at the lowest in seven months at around 1,000. The test positivity rate in the state is less than 0.5% while it is below 1% in all districts — in about six districts it is either zero or near zero. However, Covid Technical Advisory Committee Chairman M K Sudarshan cautions that the virus appears to be in circulation mainly due to the failure to adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour and warns against negligence.
Though statistics may appear comforting, the government should continue to be in a constant state of preparedness, lest the virus may decide to defy all predictions. As of now, there is no evidence that the government is geared up for any eventuality, and it would be unfortunate if it is caught napping as it was when the second wave hit the state.
The government’s public announcements are confined to periodic revision of Covid guidelines without giving any indication of the steps taken to build capacity considering the scramble for beds and deaths related to oxygen shortage just a few months ago. There is also no information on the status of triage centres that were opened in all Assembly constituencies of Bengaluru which had helped streamline the system to a large extent.
With experts opining that the pandemic is now heading towards the endemic stage, the government should step up surveillance in vulnerable areas to identify any infection well on time and prevent the spread of the virus to new regions. While the forecast by doctors and experts is reassuring, both the government and the public should be prepared for the worst, even while hoping for the best.