Alarming return of crowds

The new Union Health Minister, Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya, has a major task ahead as the third wave of Covid- 19 is knocking on the doors. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday expressed concern that big crowds are thronging hill stations and market areas without wearing masks and observing social distancing. He rightly stressed the importance of strictly adhering to Covid-19 protocols.

Modi certainly made a point when he said, "It is true that tourism and business have been greatly affected due to the pandemic. But today I will say with great emphasis that it is not right to have huge crowds in hill stations, markets without masks." He said, "We all need to work together to stop the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic." But it is high time the Centre pulled up the state administrations and ensured that the Covid-19 protocols are strictly followed. What is required is responsive state governments and proactive Centre.

Take Mt Abu for example. The small hill station is overcrowded with tourists mostly from Gujarat and Rajasthan and no one there observes any health protocols. There is a lake called Nakki Lake whose quality of water is worse than what we find in Hussain Sagar. Still boating is on and no one – vendors, boat operators or tourists – is bothered to follow social distancing or wear masks. Streets are dirty and liquor flows freely and this seems to attract the Gujaratis more to this hill station.

Adding to the worry, states like Kerala and Maharashtra are reporting surge in cases. Latest reports suggest that the increase in the 'R' factor or reproduction rate may be the reason behind the surge in these two states. Experts say that if this situation is not brought under control, it can lead to a fresh spike at national level.

According to researchers, since the beginning of the pandemic in India, R value must be less than one for the pandemic to end. But they say the value has gone up, from 0.78 to 0.88 between June 20 and July 7. Issuing a warning, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that lack of Covid appropriate behaviour means India could see the third Covid-19 wave in 6 to 8 weeks.

The only way out is vaccination for all. But its pace has slowed down considerably and going by the average of the daily vaccination in the last 20 days, the country will have 46.81 crore adults or 88.92 crore of its total population unvaccinated in August. At a time when other nations are thinking of giving Covid vaccines to children, it is an alarming trend that India's vaccination rate is faltering.