New Delhi: Indian Medical Association (IMA), India’s top doctors’ body, issued a press release and appealed to the Central and state governments to “not to let off the Guard against Covid19”  and warned that a third wave is just around the corner.

Excerpts from IMA Press Release

• With the global evidence available and the history of any pandemics, the third wave is inevitable and imminent.
• But the experience of the last one and half years of war with the virus and based on the emerging evidence it is obvious with making the universal vaccination reach the maximum possible population and strictly adopting Covid appropriate behaviours we can face the third wave with confidence and mitigate its impact.
• it is painful to note in this crucial time everyone needs to work for the mitigation of the third wave, in many parts of the country both government and the public are complacent and engaged in mass gatherings without following Covid protocols.
• Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour all are 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 consequences of treating a patient with covid in hospital and its impacts on the economy will be much better than the economic loss we suffer from avoiding such mass gatherings.
• It is the duty and responsibility of everyone at this moment to strictly enforce the covid appropriate behaviours for a minimum of three more months and ensure everyone nearer to our house are getting vaccinated.

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