COVID-19 situation improving, but will the festive season change that?
The COVID-19 cases in India are on a downward trend but with people crowding markets due to the festive season, and crowding public transport, experts say a third wave could very well be gradually raising its fangs.
On Tuesday, November 2, the country reported over 10,000 new COVID-19 cases, which was the lowest in 259 days.
The active caseload stood at a 250-day low of 1.53 lakh. Active cases now account for just 0.45 per cent of the total cases, the lowest since March 2020. Correspondingly, the recovery rate was recorded at 98.21 per cent, the highest since March 2020.
All these facts point towards a gradually improving pandemic situation. However, with the emergence of newer coronavirus variants and the festive season approaching, as well as transport services opening up, the threat of a third wave of the pandemic is looming.
AY.4.2 is the new subvariant of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of the novel coronavirus in question, and it has been detected in dozens of countries, beginning with the United Kingdom in July.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is at least 15 per cent more transmissible than the original Delta strain. Thankfully though, India’s share of the global cases is only 0.1 per cent.
But the festive season across the country (Dhanteras, Diwali, Chhat, etc.) can make the trend in reducing cases go for a toss.
Markets across the country are crowded. People are ditching face masks and ignoring social distancing norms. Add to this the gradual resumption of local or suburban train services and other transport services across many cities, with many people being seen without masks and crowding.
Experts say these raise the possibility of a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The government has issued an advisory asking people to avoid large gatherings, unnecessary travel and rely on online shopping, but adherence to it is often not being seen.
Meanwhile, the total vaccination has crossed 106 crore doses; till Tuesday morning, 106.85 crore doses had been administered.
However, India’s cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage is only a little more than 50 per cent, and that includes those who have received only one dose (more than 33 crore people have been fully vaccinated and over 73.6 crore people have received at least one dose).
