It appears that the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is on the wane as we are witnessing a steep fall in the number of cases. During its peak, 3.4 lakh persons were infected by this deadly virus on January 23, 2021. But the number is now as low as thirty thousand per day. It is believed that the number will go down further and the days of lockdown, restrictions, travel ban, slump in economic activities will soon become a matter of the past; human civilisation will once again emerge as the winner. Already, several countries have lifted the majority of restrictions or contemplated doing so in an effort to restore normalcy. Many Indian states have also taken similar steps. Schools and Colleges have reopened after nearly two years. People are being allowed to travel from one place to another without any restrictions. The situation is almost back to normal and many feel that the worst is over.
But keeping in mind the propensity of the Covid-19 virus to mutate, the battle against the pandemic is clearly not yet over. Scientists are uncertain as to whether the pandemic is coming to an end or not. While a section of virologists are of the opinion that the pandemic will now reduce to an endemic and will not pose any serious problems, others caution that the virus may make a comeback at any time. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also advised against lowering one’s guard in a hurry as a new variant may emerge which can be more infectious than Omicron. So, caution is the key to remaining safe.
There is no denying that India has done relatively better in combating the pandemic as compared to other developing nations. The country has managed to prevent the third wave from being as destructive as previous waves and this is no mean achievement, especially after the devastation caused by the first two waves. For this success, we must salute our Covid-warriors, who have served the people with little regard for their own safety. The fact that almost 80 per cent of the country’s adult population was vaccinated before the third wave helped us to keep the fatality rate down, along with the various restrictions imposed by the authorities. It points to the fact that during the first two waves, we were not sufficiently prepared to fight against the pandemic, whereas during the third wave, the preparedness improved considerably and the country has managed to save many precious lives.
Thus, notwithstanding the stiff resistance offered by the country while combating the third wave, Indians should not become lax as the virus may make a comeback at any moment. It should be remembered that the country is always in danger of being affected by any contagious disease due to its huge population. Although the vaccination drive is running smoothly, children below 15 years are yet to be vaccinated. Adequate thrust should be given to vaccinate the entire population at the earliest to keep the virus at bay. Any complacency at this crucial juncture may bring the nightmare back.