Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 25: Covid experts from the state have opined that the chances of the coronavirus infection spreading in the state are very less as of now, even though cases are increasing in Russia, Britain, Germany and China. They however hastened to add that the fear of the third wave will continue to haunt the state till the end of this year.

Head of Karnataka State Covid Technical Advisory Committee, Dr M K Sudarshan, member of the committee, Dr C N Manjunath, and another member and virologist, Dr V Ravi, have asked the people to follow precautionary measures without fail even though there is no immediate fear of the third wave.

Dr Manjunath said that even though the possibility of the third wave happening in October or November has become less, the worry about the third wave continues to hover around. Speaking to a Kannada daily, he said that following the Covid protocol without fail for the next three months is a must. Dr Manjunath pointed out that even though the Covid cases have come down in Karnataka, cases are present in foreign countries and that many people are yet to get vaccinated. There are chances of the vaccinated people getting infected too but the death rate is 2 percent. Therefore, nothing can be said about either the variants of the virus or whether the third wave will happen or not. He therefore advised the people to behave responsibly and take all precautions.

Dr Sudarshan feels that the third wave cannot happen out of the virus variants currently in India. He said that even in countries where the cases are rising, no new variants have been detected. Therefore, the wave may not happen till November end, he said, duly cautioning that we have to closely monitor the situation and continue to test people and find out contacts and find out the variant of the virus whenever corona positive cases emerge.

Dr Ravi feels that problems arose in some countries as people behaved as if the pandemic had disappeared for good. He opined that in India people are behaving more responsible and warned against large crowds like festivals forming.