Third Covid-19 wave inevitable and we must be prepared, says govt

'A phase three is inevitable, given the higher levels of circulating virus but it is not clear on what time scale this phase three will occur,' says Vijayraghavan

The third phase of the pandemic is inevitable given the high level of circulating virus, principal scientific advisor K Vijayaraghavan said on Wednesday, without giving a timeframe. While the country is still battling the devastating second wave, he said, ‘’we should prepare for the new waves.’’ 

“Previous infections and vaccines will cause adaptive pressure on the virus for new changes and we should be prepared scientifically,” Vijayraghavan said. He said it was gut wrenching to see what was happening. 

He said the variants were just one of the factors that contributed to the second wave. “Immunity could have kept new infections low