Covid-19: Deaths above 4,000; experts stress on faster vaccination

Kerala Fire and Rescue Services and Civil Defence workers provide food to people during lockdown in Kochi on Sunday. Pic/PTI

With the second wave of the pandemic ravaging the country and concerns being raised about a possible third wave, experts caution that the next wave could be less severe if people keep following coronavirus-appropriate behaviour and a large portion of the population is vaccinated. According to the Union Health Ministry's Sunday morning data, India recorded 4,03,738 new cases and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Experts said that in a few months when the immunity people have developed naturally or with the help of vaccination fades, the virus strikes again and the only thing that can stop the virus from bouncing back is how people are guarding themselves. "Early this year, as the new cases receded, people started interacting as if there was no virus. The immunity had already started declining. They organised mass gatherings, stopped wearing masks, giving the opportunity to the virus to strike again," said Dr Anurag Agarwal, director, Institute of Genomics and Integral Biology.

"While we anticipate a third wave, we can't say when exactly it will come or how severe it will be. But if people keep following Covid-19-appropriate behaviour and we are able to vaccinate a large number of people, the third wave could be less severe."

Dr Arun Sharma, a community medicine expert and director of NIIRNCD, Jodhpur, said, "In the case of Covid-19, since its spread has been so rapid, it is not giving our scientists enough time to identify all the mutants. And so, the role of Covid-19-appropriate behaviour is as critical as ever in controlling its spread," said. "A three-ply mask, frequent hand washing or sanitising, maintaining physical distance, avoiding crowd, especially indoors, are still most effective in controlling the spread of Covid-19 virus."

Hardik Patel's father dies of Covid-19

Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel's father Bharat Patel died on Sunday at a hospital in Ahmedabad while undergoing treatment for Covid-19, the Indian Youth Congress' state unit vice president Nikhil Savani said.

GST waiver on vax will hike cost: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said GST exemption to domestic supplies and commercial import of Covid-19 drugs, vaccines and oxygen concentrators would make these items costlier for consumers. Currently, domestic supplies and commercial imports of vaccines has a 5 per cent GST, while it is 12 per cent in case of Covid-19 drugs and oxygen concentrators. "If full exemption from GST is given, vaccine manufacturers would not be able to offset their input taxes and would pass them on to the end citizen by increasing the price." She was responding to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's letter to PM Narendra Modi, seeking exemption from GST and customs duty on Covid-19-related items.

2,22,96,414
Total no. of coronavirus cases in India so far

2,42,362
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

1,83,17,404
Total no. of patients recovered and discharged in India so far

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