‘COVID appropriate behavior and vaccination are key arsenal to fight third wave’
Central Chronicle News
Raipur/New Delhi, Sep 26: Amity University Chhattisgarh organized an online expert lecture series under the able guidance of Vice Chancellor,Prof. (Dr) Rajendra Kumar Pandey. In this series, Amity Institute of Behavioral & Allied Sciences organized an online expert talk on “COVID-19 Third Wave”.
Prof. (Dr.) Randeep Guleria, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, acclaimed as an world renowned expert in the field of respiratory and critical care medicine; was the guest speaker of the event.Dr. Guleria explained various aspects of COVID- 19 outbreak and its current situation in India and across the globe including its various clinical syndromes and manifestations.Dr. Guleria told that India and world has suffered a lot during first and second waves of COVID-19. He told that 227 million people have been infected and 4.6 million deaths have occurred worldwide during last two waves.
India has second highest number of people infected with corona virus just behind USA and about 4.4 lakh deaths have occurred in India due to COVID-19. Dr. Guleria first elaborated causes of second wave of COVID-19 in India. Relaxation of COVID-19 precautions, laxity among public regarding like large gatherings without wearing masks and possibly arrival of more infectious mutant virus strains have played significant role in happening of second wave in India.
Dr. Guleria said that possible causes for a third wave in India may be waning immunity among previously infected individuals, release of lockdowns affording fresh opportunities for transmission and emergence of new strains of virus capable of escaping immunity and being more virulent. Dr. Guleria told that several predictions have been made that, a third wave may occur during months of October and November with some modulation due to effect of vaccination drive.
Dr. Guleria told that there are four variants of corona virus having plausible implications in occurrence of third wave in India including alpha, beta, gamma and delta variants. Among these delta variant originated in India is likely highly transmissible and vaccines are effective against it but the magnitude of protection is lower. Beta and gamma variants are also important because due to impact on immunity.
