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NEW DELHI: The third wave of the pandemic is “inevitable and imminent”, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said urging the Centre and state governments to not lower the guard and ramp up vaccination while tourism, pilgrimage can wait a few more months.
Raising concern over governments and people being complacent and engaging in mass gatherings without following Covid-19 protocols, IMA said these events are potential super spreaders for a third wave of the pandemic.
“However, it is painful to note that in this crucial time, when everyone needs to work for the mitigation of the third wave, in many parts of the country, both governments and the public are complacent and engaged in mass gatherings without following Covid protocols. Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour, all are needed, but can wait for a few more months,” the Association of doctors from across the country said on Monday.
“Opening up these rituals and enabling people without vaccination to go scot-free in these mass gatherings are potential super spreaders for the Covid third wave,” the IMA said.
The statement comes on a day when the annual Rath Yatra began in Puri and there are discussions about allowing the “Kanwar Yatra” in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
“With the global evidence available and the history of any pandemics the third wave is inevitable and imminent,” IMA said appealing to all the states to control mass gatherings.
Based on the experience of the last one-and-a-half years of the war with the virus and the emerging evidence, it is obvious that by making the universal vaccination drive reach the maximum number of people and strictly following Covid-appropriate behaviour, people can face the third wave with confidence and mitigate its impact, it said.
“The consequences of treating a patient with Covid in a hospital and its impacts on the economy will be much better than the economic loss we suffer by avoiding such mass gatherings. It is the duty and responsibility of everyone at this moment to strictly enforce Covid-appropriate behaviour for minimum three more months and ensure that everyone near our houses is getting vaccinated,” the statement said.
Raising concern over governments and people being complacent and engaging in mass gatherings without following Covid-19 protocols, IMA said these events are potential super spreaders for a third wave of the pandemic.
“However, it is painful to note that in this crucial time, when everyone needs to work for the mitigation of the third wave, in many parts of the country, both governments and the public are complacent and engaged in mass gatherings without following Covid protocols. Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour, all are needed, but can wait for a few more months,” the Association of doctors from across the country said on Monday.
“Opening up these rituals and enabling people without vaccination to go scot-free in these mass gatherings are potential super spreaders for the Covid third wave,” the IMA said.
The statement comes on a day when the annual Rath Yatra began in Puri and there are discussions about allowing the “Kanwar Yatra” in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
“With the global evidence available and the history of any pandemics the third wave is inevitable and imminent,” IMA said appealing to all the states to control mass gatherings.
Based on the experience of the last one-and-a-half years of the war with the virus and the emerging evidence, it is obvious that by making the universal vaccination drive reach the maximum number of people and strictly following Covid-appropriate behaviour, people can face the third wave with confidence and mitigate its impact, it said.
“The consequences of treating a patient with Covid in a hospital and its impacts on the economy will be much better than the economic loss we suffer by avoiding such mass gatherings. It is the duty and responsibility of everyone at this moment to strictly enforce Covid-appropriate behaviour for minimum three more months and ensure that everyone near our houses is getting vaccinated,” the statement said.
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