COVID-19: Chances of third wave “very low”: ICMR scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar

ICMR scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said that chances of third wave are “very low” and if in case it happens, it will be far smaller compared to the second wave.

Taking to Network 18, he said, “There should be a decentralized approach to open schools. Decisions (to open school) should be taken based on the number of cases in a certain area.”

“With vaccines, people might remain asymptomatic or get mild symptoms after infections. They may not go for testing due to which the number of infections, with the time, fall,” he said.

“With vaccines, people might remain asymptomatic or get mild symptoms after infections. They may not go for testing due to which the number of infections, with the time, fall,” he said.

These vaccines are disease-modifying but not capable of protecting people against infection,” said Gangakhedkar.

“While the number of cases could possibly go up, there is no reason to worry unless there is a new strain against which these vaccines don’t work,” said Gangakhedkar.

“The newer variants of interest, Lambda, Mu and C.1.2 appear to be mutating rapidly but are yet to stabilize to gain fitness better than delta. Also, the symptomatic reinfection rate is very low, around 0.2%.”

“The virus will spread in areas where the first and second wave may have been less intense. The virus will affect those who are still not vaccinated, especially the older individuals and those with chronic morbidities, though it may cause infections in many.”

“These focal outbreaks of infection will keep happening in one or the other part of the country but I don’t think there will be a rise in the number of cases across all states,” he said.

India reported 27,254 new infections in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 3,32,64,175, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Monday.