Tag: third wave

Why we still need to be careful.

The world has suffered from Corona virus from last year and it’s still recovering from it. Where many countries have came up with the vaccination and are trying their best to vaccinate the citizens many are still suffering from the virus and its different variants.

Among these only India also stands fighting the virus with all that the country can do. Where the government is trying to keep up with the vaccination process, at the same time at many places vaccines are still not available. On coming to registering for the vaccination, it becomes a hard task for common people to do that as the site comes as server down or there are no slots available for vaccination.

This all is happening when India still hasn’t came out of the impact of the second wave of corona that the country  faced. The  lockdown has just been lifted and there are claims about having a third wave around October as well.  While there are claims also made that it will be better control  this time but the pandemic will still be a public health threat for another year.

kid telling tourist to wear mask in viral video

The vaccination may provide some measure of immunity but according to different sources India has vaccinated only 5% of its total population, But experts have claimed that the vaccination will pick up speed and we will be able to provide vaccination to everyone.

Most of the states have took up the restrictions and have started preparing for the third wave. But there has been alarm raising things going on as the huge crowd can be seen in different states on different occasion.  There has been pictures of markets, parks and hill stations where crowd can be seen and people are enjoying the places without following the appropriate guidelines.

At the peak of its second wave India reported over 400000 new cases daily along with shortage of vaccine, hospital beds, medicines, oxygen. Over 380000 people have been reported dead due to corona so far.

Due to consistence news of corona variants that have been reported all over the world are also a subject of concern. The delta variant of the corona virus which was first identified  in India, is fast becoming the dominant variant globally due to its increased transmissibility.

We all need to be aware of the situation and need to follow the guidelines for sure. people need to get vaccination and be aware of the fact that it does not harm to people and it for our own good.

 Thank you for reading.

stay healthy, stay safe.

REVENGE TRAVEL and an INEVITABLE THIRD WAVE

It wasn’t a few weeks back that there was a massive outcry among general public, demanding hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, remdesivir and what not; and now the hot topic has turned into lack of hotel rooms. Indian government was ultimately the scapegoat at the hands of citizens who needed to channelise their vulnerability, fair enough. As the second wave was terminating, owing to the endurance and earnest work of the government, an abominable mass of citizens rush to “celebrate” this conquest by vacationing in Manali, paving way for the third wave of Covid.

Crowded Manali

Not only Manali, crowds can be seen flooding the streets of other hill stations as well; Shimla, Mussourie, Nanital etc. There is a term for this phenomenon, which accurately captures the true sentiments- ‘REVENGE TRAVEL’. This term signifies the anguish of people who had to follow the lockdown rules and stay at home during the pandemic and that too for their own safety, but now are rushing to travel like animals let loose.

Someone said it right, education is no substitute for intelligence as is proven by the abhorrent crowd risking thousands of innocent lives along with theirs. A 5 year old boy who didn’t even has shoes for his feet was seen roaming on the streets of Dharmshala, schooling adults to wear masks, while the tourists shamelessly ignored his plea. This is a clear dichotomy of how wealth and education never ensure a sound and reasonable mind.

When the third wave strikes, the same mass would shamelessly play blame game and accuse government for the current situation. Based on the statistics, health ministry has warned the citizens to be prepared not only for the third wave, but the fourth one as well. If people are ignorant enough to forget the consequences and death toll from second wave, another pandemic is just inevitable.

Is India ready for the third wave of Covid-19?

We’ve been through this pandemic since 2019. It’s only in January 2020 we came to know about it, too late to take any precautions as such. The nation started to witness a huge number deaths and got to understand the severity of this virus. The only option left for the government was a nationwide lock down. On the evening of March 24, 2020, the government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days, i.e till 14th April 2020, but was extended further for months.

This affected the nation in a drastic manner with the downfall in the economy of the country, rise in unemployment, poverty, theft and robbery. Everything brought into the nation a complete chaos. It not only affected the country economically but also the mental health of the people. The suicide rate during the pandemic has increased drastically. We humans need companions. Maintaining social distance and not to talk and meet anyone in person is really difficult for a normal human. It’s just that we are not use to, though it has become a new normal now.

The education system collapsed completely during this pandemic. Online mode of education can never replace the offline mode, no matter how much technically capable we become. Never in the history had matriculation and intermediate examination be cancelled. Now as it has, students have taken things so lightly that examination don’t fear them anymore. Children now, are the future of our country. What will these students grow up and do? How will our country develop further? Will our country be safe in their hands? We don’t have an answer to these. This pandemic no matter how soon we wish to end, is going to have a long term effect on everybody’s life.

‘COVID third wave to hit India in August’

A research report has predicted that India may witness the third wave of COVID-19 in mid-August 2021, raising the alarm bells for policymakers and citizens. The research claims that the COVID third wave peak will arrive in the month of September 2021. According to the SBI report, the global data shows that on average, peak COVID-19 cases reached during the third wave are nearly twice or 1.7 times those from the second wave of the pandemic.

Are we ready for the next wave to hit? Everything that’s happening to happen once again?

No, right? The people of our country are not at all, though the government is arranging for beds, oxygen and all other necessities. The people on the other hand are planning trips and vacations. Just a month ago, people were struggling to get oxygen and a bed at the hospital. Now the same people are struggling to get rooms at a resort in Manali.

India registered 43,393 new COVID-19 cases today from peak of 4 lakhs in the 3rd week of May. 44,459 recoveries, and 911 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the latest update by the Health Ministry this morning. As per the data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), there has been been a slowdown in the downward trend of daily COVID infections and a slight increase in the positivity rate. Yet, third wave is knocking the door. Beware!

Vaccination

The only way you can be a little safe during the third wave is through vaccination. Though it’s very difficult to get your slots booked, try and vaccinate yourself as soon as possible. Vaccination too cannot protect you from the virus completely. Go out only if necessary and wear masks properly. It’s better to stay away from crowded places to avoid being caught by the virus.

Get yourself vaccinated and stay home!

IS INDIA PREPARED FOR A POTENTIAL THIRD WAVE?

Things India needs to do to negate the possible effects of COVID-19 Third wave

India has recorded 26 million Covid-19 cases  which is second only to the US. The second wave of COVID-19  has overwhelmed the healthcare system with hospitals struggling to bear the pressure of oxygen shortage and treatment drugs. Experts believe the wave is getting diminished at the national level. However, people are more awry this time for a potential third wave of COVID-19 virus.

The most important factor that will play the role whether or not India is getting hit by a third wave, is the rate of vaccination. Apart from this, let us look at other factors which can be instrumental to curb the effects of a third wave.

1. Expansion of testing facilities

Timely testing and isolation of COVID-19 patients is the key. Now-a-days, people who are feeling symptomatic to COVID-19 are not testing themselves due to the distance of testing facilities. Free testing for COVID-19( especially for the poor) can be beneficial as well.

2.  Poor needs to be encouraged to seek medical advice

It is a tendency which has been observed that seeking medical advice from doctors is proportional to the economic background of the people. Most of the patients won’t go and seek any medical advice from doctors or pharmacists thinking that would incur charges as well. Lack of health facilities in proximity and affordability are much bigger reasons for not seeking medical advice among the poor than the rich.  The fact that COVID-19 starts with a common symptoms of fever, cough and cold they think it can be managed well by self-medication rather than visiting a doctor after travelling a lot.

3. Financial burden on the patients and their family

There are many patients whose families are unable to pay the debt or the fees of the hospital with regard to the bed, facilities and treatment. According to the survey done by NSO it is estimated that 81% of hospitalization cases (excluding childbirth cases), the expenditure was met by family income or savings. 11% of such cases were financed with borrowing, 3.5% of these were met with contributions from friends and relatives and 0.4% required sale of physical assets.

4. Cover of  Health Insurance

According to the survey conducted by NSO, it is estimated that over three-fourth of hospitalization cases in India involved individuals who were not covered by a health expenditure insurance or scheme . Access to health insurance is correlated to incomes, and the share of hospitalization cases not covered by any kind of insurance increases from 68% among the richest 20% to 85.5% among the poorest 20%. Even in cases where health insurance existed, it did not cover the cost of the entire treatment. NSO survey shows that on an average, health insurance paid for only 10.2% of the medical expenditure and 9.1% of total expenditure (which includes cost of transporting patient as well as the cost of food, lodging, transport, etc.for the household) in cases which required hospitalization.