The world has begun to learn to live with the virus. People are coming out of their fear. Enough is enough. The time is up to bid farewell to the pandemic.
The so-called second wave disappeared months ago. The media is shifting its attention from Covid-19 chaos to vaccination progress. Other interesting political matters like changing State governments and the Afghan crisis shadowed experts’ free advice on Covid-19. Their interest may resurface only when they spot something that can change their fortunes. The virus has become weaker for the time being.
When Covid-19 began to part its way by winter last year after an onslaught in early summer, the second wave stormed again in the following summer. No one thought the Covid-19 would resurface with a rage. That was the time people began to neglect the dictate of scientists and pharma barons. Response to vaccine calls, in the beginning, was lukewarm. The second wave appeared seemingly as a punishment for dodging the dictates of the medical industry. It is good that they have announced the possibility of a third wave. One must have followed the caller-tune advice to avoid the waves. The announcement of wave after waves may follow the announcement of elections in the States.
The elections, throughout the pandemic period, used to give a respite to the rage of the pandemic, thanks to the cooperation of the novel coronavirus!
The three generations currently alive did not have any pandemic experience. Still, we can surely say it may be the first time in history a pandemic carried with it so many controversies. Still, the air is thick with controversies. Maybe, a by-product of artificial intelligence and forceful vaccination. We have seen racism also in the vaccination, as the world is not ready to recognise all the vaccines with equal trust. Western countries, out of their superiority, have approved only selected vaccines originated from their soil. For them, other vaccines are second grade, even if the same have shared their technical know-how. It shows their habitual insults to others. They correct it only after others convince them of their foolishness.
Since I became a regular blogger after the pandemic, some friends used to ask me curiously about my prediction about another wave. I haven’t ever foreseen the third wave. Still, I don’t see any such possibility. There are many reasons behind my opinion.
Monsoon is gradually parting its way. The monsoon-related cough and cold are also disappearing. Secondly, the Covid-19 virus might have already attacked most of the people in the country, as the serosurvey hinted. Thirdly, since the virus has already entered into the cellular system of most people and eventually built a natural immunity, its virulence cannot be life-threatening. Fourthly, people started to realise that their cough and cold is not Covid-19, which requires only traditional home remedies. This realisation made people stop panicking and rush to the hospital. Only under compulsion to travel, people go for the RTPCR test. Moreover, people spread videos and text messages for public awareness. Such actions help people move out of fear. So, I am confident that there will be no third wave. The election time is coming up. Another wave can disturb all calculations.
Most urbanites have taken at least the first dose of the vaccine and waited for the second dose. The vaccine makers and government are hence confident that people have shed their reluctance. It is an assurance for the vaccine makers. So far, things are moving as per the calculation of vaccine makers. If the vaccination goes at the same speed in a year or so, the demand will considerably decelerate, making the vaccine makers’ capacity idle. What is next is a question that hangs like a dagger on our heads. A booster dose? There are chances of initial vaccine hesitancy to reappear.
In the fag-end of 2018, before starting fear of Covid-19, the spread of Nipah caused by RNA virus panicked people in Kozhikode and Malappuram. The infection claimed 17 lives. Fortunately, the Chinese idea of lockdown was unknown at that time. With some local restrictions, the government could manage the contagion, thanks to the Kerala government. Even though the mortality rate in the case of Nipah was more fearful, it was less virulent than Covid-19. For that reason, Nipah did not open much space for business, as Covid-19 did.
When Covid-19 spotted in numbers countable by fingers, the government went in for a total lockdown. It found the national lockdown as the universal remedy to break the chain of infection. Locally the lockdown was further restrained by another set of curbs.
Pandemic was a blessing for rulers. There is no doubt, politicians and bureaucrats have little knowledge of science. Hence, they had to listen to the so-called expert advice. They followed the orders. Since none can change this system, such things can only repeat.