Coronavirus update: Will India go through Second Wave of Covid-19 infections? Here is what experts say

Coronavirus India update: Sliding daily covid-19 numbers in the last few weeks have provided India hope of overcoming the ongoing pandemic sooner rather than later. However, apprehensions are still there over the possibility of a second wave of Coronavirus infections in the country. While the Central government-appointed committee has not talked about particular reasons behind this welcome fall in the overall pan-India coronavirus cases, two of the panel’s members have revealed key details pertaining to the “Second Wave” and the correlation between the coronavirus pandemic and winter or cold weather.

A member of the Centre-appointed committee Professor Manindra Agrawal underlined that the present decline in Coronavirus active cases in India was similar to what several countries in Europe had experienced a few months ago. Citing Italy’s example, Agrawal said the prevalence of coronavirus in that country did not become so ‘widespread’ that one could talk about the “herd immunity”. Coronavirus cases in Italy declined in a rapid manner but there is an ongoing second surge, he said. Agrawal claimed that it is not mandatory for all countries or regions to go through the second wave of Coronavirus infections He said that if India remains ‘careful’ and managed to tide over the next few months, there is a hope for “better situation”, as per Indian Express report.

Prof Gagandeep Kang said that along with festivals, the ensuing winter season and the increase in air pollution could be prime reasons for concern. Kang, an expert on infectious diseases, said that the correlation between the covid-19 epidemic and cold weather is yet to be understood fully. However, there is “seasonality” linked with the spread of other types of infectious diseases and viruses, said Kang who is also a professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore, the IE report said.

Based on the experience of the spread of other types of viruses during cold weather, the possibility of an increase in Coronavirus numbers can not be ruled out during the winter, Kang said. People of India and authorities must remain ‘careful’ as air pollution could be a pivotal cause for concern. The polluted air has already become a big factor for “respiratory diseases” and covid-19 can “complicate matters further”, she said.

Professor Agrawal has also said “super-spreaders” are likely to get infected during the early stage of an epidemic. He said that there is a possibility that the super-spreaders have already been ‘infected’ and therefore become ‘immune’. Super-spreaders are those people who generally infect a large number of individuals.