Third COVID Wave is Imminent: IMA Warns Govts Against Letting Guard Down

“Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour are all needed, but can wait for few more months," IMA said.

The Indian Medical Association, in a press release, on Monday, 12 July, urged the governments of all states to not let the guard down against COVID-19.

Reminding that India has literally just walked out of the “disastrous second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic”, the IMA said:

“With the global evidence available and the history of any pandemic, the third wave is inevitable and imminent.”

Further, the IMA states that the experience of the last one-and-half-years of the war with the virus and emerging evidence makes it obvious that vaccinating maximum possible population and strict adoption of COVID appropriate behaviour can mitigate the impact of the third wave.

“However, it is painful to note that in this crucial time every one needs to work for the mitigation of the third wave,” writes the IMA, pointing out that “in many parts of the country both government and public are complacent and engaged in mass gatherings without following COVID protocols”.

“Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour are all needed, but can wait for few more months. 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.”

The IMA

The IMA also reminded that it is “the duty and responsibility of everyone at this moment to strictly enforce COVID appropriate behaviour for a minimum of three more months” and to ensure that everyone near us is vaccinated.

“IMA appeals to all state governments to translate the vision of the prime minister and control any mass gatherings in their state,” said the national organisation of Indian physicians.

India's COVID-19 Situation

India on Monday, 12 July, reported 37,154 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally in the country to 3,08,74,376. The death toll increased by 724 to 4,08,764. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be interacting with the chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram at 11 am on Tuesday, 13 July, regarding the COVID-19 situation in these states.

The second wave of the pandemic had devastated the country, crippling the healthcare system and the economy, amid an acute paucity of fundamental life-saving resources and resultant shortage of even space for cremation and burial.