COVID third wave may not set in TS till Dec: DPH

The estimated time is conditional to vaccination and COVID-appropriate behaviour, says Dr. Srinivasa Rao

Two of the most asked questions these days is will COVID-19 third wave set in Telangana, and if so, when can it be expected. The State’s Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao has estimated that the third wave might not set in till December. However, this estimation is conditional. The senior health official said that the time period depends on whether people take precautions against COVID-19, and if they get vaccinated against it. While the onus now lies with the people, equal responsibility is on politicians. Though second wave has declined in the State, it is still active with around 600-650 new infections in a day. People, Health Care Workers (HCW), and others have pointed out on multiple occasions in the recent past that people are congregating in large numbers for marriages, festival celebrations, political events, and at pubs. Scores of people were seen not masking up, or did not maintain physical distancing. All this points out that COVID-appropriate behaviour is not being maintained by everyone, which means one of the two conditions to prevent the third wave in not fulfilled.