States must decide strategy, says ICMR’s Dr Samiran Panda

The uptick of new COVID-19 infections in states, which did not face an intense resurgence of cases during the second wave, depicts the onset of the third wave, said the Head of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

“Several states began imposing COVID-19 restrictions and increased vaccinations, learning from Delhi and Maharashtra. Due to this, the second wave in several states was not as intense, leaving scope for a third wave. Therefore, the increasing number of COVID-19 infections in some states presently is indicating the third wave,” Dr Samiran Panda told ANI.

He further said that when talking about COVID-19, it is imperative to talk of India as a whole instead of a state-specific view because all the states are not homogenous.

Panda said that all states should examine the number of COVID-19 cases and its intensity in the first and second waves to decide about their strategy/pandemic preparedness for the possibility of the third wave. Moneycontrol