A day after Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain talked about nearing the end of the (Covid-19) pandemic, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has cautioned politicians and the Government not to invoke a “false sense of security”.
“It is painful to note the discussion on endemic Vs pandemic status of diseases is echoing in the political corridors, however it ought to be substantiated by scientific evidence by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or ICMR only,” the IMA said.
The apex body of the doctors pointed out that “invasion of muted virus UK variant, South Africa variant and Brazil variant continue to haunt.”
“While corona pandemic with its disastrous tentacles and widespread infectivity were under control amid spike here and there by the dedicated and coordinated services rendered timely by Governments and private modern medical healthcare providers, the stage is not ripe to call it the end of pandemic or endemic,” the IMA said in a statement here.
“The introduction of much efficacious and safe corona vaccine in our country is a tool for us to face this challenging war with confidence. But for India and Argentina, whole world had faced the second wave and its much vitreous consequences.
“The last one week has shown 35 to 40 per cent increase in the number of cases from different parts of the State and even in Capital of India the daily average has risen up from 100 to 140 patients.
“Hence, let us not boast or trumpet ourselves and indulge in prognosticating the course of this viral disease and off guard our preventive measures against this dreaded disease of this stage,” said the association.
The IMA , which is an umbrella organisation for private doctors in the country, also sought to remind the Government that good gain of cohesive frontal services of upkeeping physical distance, hand and respiratory hygiene, masking and the timely supportive vaccination drive, shall not go in vain with this “tussle of words”.
Pointing out that the Association lost about 740 frontline warriors in pandemic, it said unauthorised political statements shall only invoke false sense of security.
On Sunday speaking at the Delhi Medical Association’s (DMA’s) 62nd Annual Delhi State Medical Conference (MEDICON 2021) in collaboration with Dharamshila Narayana Hospital on Sunday, Vardhan had said, “We are in the ‘end game’ of the Covid-19 pandemic in India and to succeed at this stage, politics should be kept out.”
At another event, Jain too had said coronavirus is nearing an endemic phase in Delhi. “Experts say some cases continue to occur in the endemic phase. Delhi witnessed a swine flu outbreak around 10 years ago, but still some cases are reported every year. Coronavirus is not going to end completely… we will have to learn to live with it,” Jain had said.
Meanwhile, India reported 18,599 new Covid-19 cases, 14,278 recoveries, and 97 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry on Monday. With this, the total cases has reached to 1,12,29,398 including 1,88,747 active cases and 1,08,82,798 total recoveries while the death count mounted to 1,57,853 including the new deaths.
With 99,205 active cases, Maharashtra continues to remain the most-affected coronavirus State, followed by Kerala with 41,162 active cases.
Giving details of the ongoing vaccination drive in the country, a senior Health Ministry official said more than 2.09 cr (2,09,89,010) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,76,633 sessions.
“These include 69,85,911HCWs (1st dose), 35,47,548 HCWs (2nd dose), 66,09,537 FLWs (1st dose) and 2,13,559 FLWs (2nd Dose), 4,80,661 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st Dose) and 31,51,794 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years,” he added.