The Indian Medical Association, India’s top doctors’ body, has appealed to the Centre to not let its guard down as the third wave of COVID-19 was knocking at the door. They added that pilgrimages could wait for a few months as they could otherwise become super-spreader events.

This comes after people were seen crowding hill stations and not following COVID norms flooded social media. So much so that, an official of the Himachal  Pradesh government appealed to the tourists to not come to the state. “‘Work from home’ does not mean ‘work from Himachal'”, he quipped.  

“Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour are all needed but can wait for a few more months. Opening up these rituals and enabling people without vaccination to go scot-free in these mass gatherings are potential super spreaders for the Covid third wave,” the IMA statement said.

The recent reports of the Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh allowing the annual Kanwar yatra from July 25 and visuals of people flocking to hill stations in large numbers have left administrators worried. 

The medical body warned that the country had only just emerged from the disastrous second wave and going by past experience, a third wave was inevitable.

“With the global evidence available and the history of any pandemics, the third wave is inevitable and imminent…However, it is painful to note…in many parts of the country both the government and public are complacent and engaged in mass gatherings without following Covid protocols,” an IMA press release said.

India is still reeling under the impact of a debilitating and deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that left more than 1 lakh people dead and the country’s medical infrastructure tottering. It also exposed chinks in India’s healthcare system that need to be addressed before a new wave strikes. 

The IMA statement added that looking at the past experience,  the impact of the third wave can be mitigated by ensuring universal vaccination and following COVID-appropriate behaviour.

Reacting to huge crowds at hill stations in Himachal, state Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu said, “With the prolonged work from home (WFH) culture being adopted by many companies and multinationals, we are seeing that it has almost turned out to be work from Himachal Pradesh,” Kundu told PTI.