Third wave of COVID-19: Next 120 days crucial as India still does not have herd immunity

New Delhi, July 17: The Centre while warning of a third wave of COVID-19 said that the next 120 days would be critical. NITI Aayog member (health) Dr. V K Paul said that the people need to remain cautious and said that the question of a third wave keeps coming back. We have not reached the stage of herd immunity and nor do we want to acquire it through infections, he said at a press conference.

Dr. Paul also said that leaving the North and South American regions, all other WHO regions are moving from bad to worse. Spain has registered a 64 per cent rise in the weekly Covid-19 case spike, he said while adding that the Netherlands on the other hand has seen a 300 per cent rise in the same figure.

Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand have also registered an increase ion the number of cases, while a 50 per cent hike has been reported in Africa, he also said.

He said that the world is moving towards a third wave and this is a fact. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi too has asked us to take this as a red flag and warning. He said that although India has progressed in terms of COVID-19 vaccination and now nearly 50 per cent of the most vulnerable group above the age of 45 is protected, the infection can still spread. This will also impact mortality and it will come down, but the infection can spread and we are vulnerable, the virus is still around, he further added.