Centre says 3rd wave likely either due to virus mutations or susceptible population

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was informed on Friday that the third Covid wave may occur either because of mutations in the virus or due to the available pool of the susceptible populations.

It was further told that the third wave was also dependent on various pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions for the management of the pandemic.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply said vaccination protects from a severe manifestation of the disease and improves herd immunity, and is accordingly likely to mitigate the impact COVID-19 may have with any future resurgence.

Vaccines currently being utilised for immunisation offer substantial protection against the infection, besides reducing the severity of the disease, hospitalisation and deaths, he said.

On warnings by health experts and authorities about a probable advent of a third wave of the coronavirus in the form of its Delta variant, which is likely to affect children, Mr Mandaviya clarified there is no scientific evidence either in India or globally to show that children get disproportionately infected with COVID-19, including its Delta variant.

He said multiple waves have been noticed across the world.

"The (third) wave may occur either due to mutations in the virus or due to the available pool of susceptible population, which in turn is also dependent on various pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions for the management of the pandemic," he said.

According to the World Health Organization, the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has shown higher transmissibility than other mutant variants of concern (VOCs) identified to date.

"There is however no scientific evidence either from India or globally, to show that children get disproportionately infected with COVID-19 including the Delta variant. Children, if infected, generally remain asymptomatic or exhibit mild symptoms and do not get the severe disease," Mandaviya stated.

However, the health ministry has issued specific guidelines and has advised states to upgrade health infrastructure with respect to paediatric case management, he said.

On preparedness to combat the intensity of the third wave, he said the ministry monitors the trajectory of Covid as per details provided by states.

The public health approach and clinical management protocol for Delta variant remain the same, he said.