With the threat of a third wave of Covid-19 emerging large, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) expressed their concern on July 12, over governments and people being complacent and engaging in mass gatherings without following COVID-19 norms, saying these events are super-spreaders for a third wave of the pandemic.
Stressing that tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervor are needed, but can wait for a few more months, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), in a statement, said global evidence and the history of any pandemic suggest that “the third wave is inevitable and imminent”.
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.
“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,” said IMA.
Based on the experience of the second wave of covid 19 and the emerging evidence, people can face the third wave with confidence and mitigate its impact by making the universal vaccination drive reach the maximum number of people and strictly following Covid- appropriate behavior, the doctors’ body said.
The IMA’s in a separate video message views on the Covid preparedness across the country, the doctors’ body’s President Dr. Johnrose Austin Jayalal appealed to all state governments to translate the “vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” of a unified battle against the pandemic and control all mass gatherings.
“At this crucial juncture, in the next two to three months…let us not take any chances,” he added.
