Third wave threat no more a mirage
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: January 08, 2022 -

THE rapid upsurge in Covid-19 daily cases in the country since the last few days and a similar disturbing trend being witnessed in various states including Manipur clearly indicate onset of third wave of the pandemic.

Amid intensification of campaigning by political parties in the poll-bound five states as well as the Election Commission of India reviewing preparedness for holding the five-yearly democratic exercises in the states concerned, report of India crossing the one lakh mark in daily infection cases after seven months on Friday morning leaves nothing to doubt that the semblance of normalcy achieved after nearly two years of struggle might be disrupted sooner than later.

Similar to India recording nearly double the number of positive cases within 24 hours on Friday, the state's figure of 59 positive cases and 2.9 per cent daily positivity rate on Thursday compared to 27 cases and 1.4 per cent positivity rate on the previous day signify that the government authorities will have to be fully prepared to prevent breakdown of the healthcare system.

With the national government unlikely to enforce lockdown as such a drastic measure would be detrimental to interests of the commoners and hit the impoverished section of the society the hardest, the few options left are to the augment the existing healthcare and keep the medical professionals motivated to ensure that they serve the infected people with compassion and help them recover at the earliest possible.

Moreover, the Union government leaving it to the states concerned to contain the virulent second wave of the pandemic last year testified that nationwide lockdown would be the last resort.

While rapid surge in positive cases in almost all the states rjngs out the message that containing the third wave within short notice would be a difficult proportion, it is the hesitancy on the part of the general population to follow Covid appropriate behaviour which should be of serious concern to the frontline workers.

Sensing gravity of the situation, the Centre had on Wednesday issued revised guidelines for home isolation of mild and asymptomatic patients.

As per the new guidelines, the patient under home isolation will stand discharged and end isolation after at least 7 days have passed from testing positive and no fever for 3 successive days and they shall continue wearing masks.

There is no need for re-testing after the home isolation period is over.

Asymptomatic contacts of infected individuals need not undergo Covid test and monitor health in home quarantine as per the new guidelines.

While strict compliance with the latest guidelines by all would definitely help lessen impact of the pandemic on life and livelihood, it could be safely stated that the implementation part would be decisive in either taking the virus or the infectious disease overwhelming the healthcare sector and consequently leading to unparalleled hardships till the pandemic subsides on its own as had been the case in the first two waves.

In-spite of the prevailing grim scenario, there is still hope for the state to keep things under control in case the authorities enforce the safety protocols within the state and aggressively implement preventive measures on the handful of land and aerial routes, which connect Manipur with the outside world.