Why are the waves of Corona epidemic arising amid delta plus virus threat,corona wave explainer in Hind

The country is currently facing the second wave of the corona epidemic (what are the waves of covid), although now the cases are decreasing. The second wave was attributed to the Delta variant and now the third wave is also being feared in September and October, for which the Delta Plus variant will have an effective role. Now the question is, on what basis do we call it a wave and how the epidemic can be controlled.

In this regard, NITI Aayog member health Dr VK Paul says that the vaccine is the only weapon of defense. This means that to avoid any wave of the pandemic, we have to follow vaccines, masks and social distancing. In the midst of all this, we will explain why there are different waves of epidemics.

Why do new waves come?

Dr Paul said that there are four elements that lead to the creation of a new wave. If we want to stop the virus and prevent its further spread, then we should try to combat it on all four points.

1. Virus behavior: Viruses have the ability and ability to spread
2. Susceptible host: The virus seeks out susceptible hosts to survive. Therefore, if we are not protected by either vaccination or previous infection, we are a susceptible host.
3. Transmissibility: The virus can be smart enough where it mutates and becomes more transmissible. The same virus that used to infect three hosts, capable of infecting 13! This factor is unpredictable. One cannot pre-plan to fight such mutations. Changes in the nature of the virus and its transmission potential is an X factor and no one can predict when and where it may occur.
4. chance: The ‘opportunities’, which we give the virus to infect. If we sit together, eat, crowd, sit in closed areas without masks, then there are more opportunities for the virus to spread.

Ways to deal with the waves of the pandemic
Now the question is, when these four factors are responsible for giving rise to new waves, then what is the way to deal with them. It is also important to understand what Dr VK Paul says about this. He says we cannot control the behavior of the virus but we can certainly stop being cannon fodder for its opportunistic behavior.

Two of the four factors—susceptibility and opportunity for infection—are completely under our control while the other two—the behavior and transmission of viruses—cannot be predicted or controlled. So, if we are safe and make sure we are not susceptible, the virus will not be able to survive. We can control sensitivity by wearing a mask or getting vaccinated. So if we reduce the chances and reduce the susceptibility to infection by following the proper handling of COVID, the third wave will not come.”

Dr Paul also called for collective efforts of the citizens as well as the system to prevent another wave. “Some of these require individual efforts, while some others like isolation of clusters, contact tracing, ensuring testing capacity and creating awareness require systems to function.