World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says there are signals that the third wave of COVID-19 is in its early stages. At the same time, the Indian Medical Association has also warned that it was ‘inevitable and imminent’. The ferocity of the second wave and the damage it did to lives and finances is fresh in our minds. While escaping the virus should be our top priority, we also need to prepare for the financial emergencies that can arise due to the third wave.
According to Ghebreyesus, the spread of the Delta variant, along with increased social mobility and the inconsistent use of proven public health measures, is driving an increase in both case numbers and deaths. “And after 10 weeks of declines, deaths are increasing again. The virus continues to evolve, resulting in more transmissible variants. Unfortunately, we are now in the early stages of a third wave,” Ghebreyesus said.
