AIIMS COVID task force head warns states ahead of festive season, says THIS

As the number of COVID-19 cases is subsiding in India, AIIMS COVID task force chairperson Dr Navneet Wig has warned the states and UTs ahead of the upcoming festive season. He has reiterated that the pandemic can come back “with a vengeance” if proper guidelines are not followed.

He has issued his statement regarding the spread of the pandemic once again as India successfully administers 90 crore vaccine doses across the country. Dr Wig also said that the war against the COVID pandemic is not easy and it can return very soon.

As per media reports, Dr Wig said, “We have to go far ahead of 100 crores and have to make everybody double vaccinated. So this is our aim and we are moving ahead, but we have to move faster and ensure that everybody gets the second dose as well.”

The task force chief further added, “And that is how we are going to win this war. It is not an easy war still, we cannot be overconfident, we have to be a little underconfident so that we don’t lower our guard and take all precautions.”

While making the people aware that the COVID positivity rate in many states is still over 10 percent, Dr Navneet Wig said, “It is not easy. Many countries are still fighting battles. So we have to be very cautious as this can come back with a vengeance.”

The months of October and November can prove to be very crucial when it comes to the country’s war against the pandemic, and the Union Health Ministry has been trying to remind everyone repeatedly about the various COVID-19 guidelines ahead of the festival season.

While speaking about the spread of the virus during the festive season, Dr Wig said that people in the country need to be extra careful till two weeks after Diwali because acute febrile illness is all around.

He said, “We are seeing cases with dengue, scrub typhus, typhoid fever, and airborne diseases. So it is very difficult for doctors to decide if it is Covid or flu, dengue, typhoid fever, or viral hepatitis. So my request is that till festival season, please go slow, wear your mask and avoid social gatherings.”

(With ANI inputs)