28 Nov 2021  |   06:45am IST

CAN GOA AFFORD TO RELAX ITS PANDEMIC MEASURES?

New COVID variant means further caution has to be exercised to keep numbers from increasing
CAN GOA AFFORD TO RELAX ITS PANDEMIC MEASURES?

With the COVID curve in Goa having achieved a flattening over the past two months and new infections very low, the possibility of a third wave is beginning to ebb, or so the experts in the field predicted earlier this month. Goa Medical College (GMC) Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar, a key member of the Covid taskforce, had said that if at all there could arise a third Covid wave, its intensity would be low. His reasoning was that in the past weeks, since the pandemic restrictions that were prevailing in the State were lifted and social interaction had returned almost to normal, the State has seen a significant rise in tourism activity and several festivals have also taken place, yet the number of new Covid cases has remained static and it is not rising. He also said that the new cases are lower and that a third Covid wave, ‘if at all it comes, is going to be very low’. Since then the cases have further decreased, almost collaborating with what was predicted.

In a year during which the State has been continuously buffeted by the pandemic, including a very devastating second wave in April and May that saw infections rise like never before and thousands of deaths, this statement and the situation are reassuring, as the same medical professionals had only this summer predicted that a third wave could hit the State. What was more consternating at that time was that they believed that children could be the most affected by it. While the recent pronouncement on the reduced possibility of a third wave is heartening, news came of a new variant of the virus being discovered, leading to countries taking fresh measures on foreign travel and also other standard operating procedures. 

The virus, now not being as virulent as before, should not lead to people ignoring the pandemic protocols and the standard operating procedures that had been announced earlier and are still to be followed. Tourism is set to grow with increasing footfalls in the State and the wedding and festive season is soon going to see an upsurge of activity. It is here where the possibility of the virus spreading is most high. Not to forget that political activity is also reaching a feverish pitch though elections are due only in February next.

Goa has been hosting the International Film Festival of India that will close on November 28. It brought film personalities and enthusiasts from across the world to the State. After having been almost insulated from foreign travellers since March last year, this was the first event where there was some close interaction between people from abroad, from various states of India and from Goa itself over a long period. The experience of the last film festival, held in January this year after it was postponed due to the pandemic, was encouraging as it did not lead to any increased cases. There, however were a very limited number of delegates for that festival. This festival saw a much larger number of delegates and closer interaction. Even at the time of writing there was no spike in cases, which is a good sign to keep hopes up. 

This is not the first time that the medical professionals have spoken of the reduced possibility of a third COVID-19 wave hitting Goa. As cases decreased in the past months that has been stated quite a few times. When one looks at the graph there is a flattening of the curve that started in June last and continues till now. After the 64,000 plus cases of May this year, the month of June saw 11,000 odd cases and since then there has been a considerable drop in new infections. August and September saw over 2000 cases each month, while in October the cases came down to 1600 odd, which is the lowest since February this year. November, if the current trend continues for the next two days, will see even less numbers than October, and could even turn out to be the month with the least number of new infections, but only if there is no surge.

Yet, if the relaxations lead to precautions being ignored here onwards, the third wave could still be a possibility. What the medical fraternity is predicting is based on the current trends. It all depends on people continuing to follow the standard operating procedures. Already, one can see on the streets that people have reduced their caution. The use of face masks and practicing of physical distancing are no longer being followed as stringently as in earlier months. Where just a few months ago, a person walking on the street without a face mask would get pointed at, now there are many who stroll around without covering their faces, and these are mostly tourists. The fact that a large percentage of the population has received both doses of the anti-COVID vaccine appears to have boosted the confidence of the people and led them take the virus more leniently. However, it cannot be overlooked that that there are a large number of visitors to the State and therefore precautions are necessary.

The coming weeks are going to be crucial for Goa where COVID infections are concerned. Daily cases may be in their low twenties at the current time, but this needs to be brought down even further. It is clear that the virus is still infecting, which means that precautions are necessary. It is only when new infections are in single digits or stop entirely, which will not happen soon, that Goa could perhaps afford to relax all the precautions that are being taken, especially in the wake of the new variant. Yet, the quotidian has to return to the normal as soon as possible and in various forms it has. Restrictions in almost all sectors have been lifted and those that are in place are of a very light nature. Schools are also likely to open right from the primary level some time in the coming weeks. The State is also coming up to the peak tourism week next month, so practically keeping tabs on COVID protocol being followed is going to be tough. The increased patrolling that the State government has promised will perhaps have to be utilised to some extent to ensure that the pandemic protocols are followed.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar