With the number of Covid-19 cases again rising in Ludhiana district, it is staring at the possibility of a second surge. The authorities have started making preparations to check it. Among the officers who are involved in making strategy and preparations for this, additional deputy commissioner (development) Sandeep Kumar, who is the nodal officer for Covid-19 management in Ludhiana, is actively involved in the process. He talked to TOI’s Shariq Majeed on the probability of a second surge and preparations to check it.
Q: When is the second surge expected in Ludhiana district?
Though we are seeing a rise in the cases, what I expect is that we will be peaking for a second time in the second week of December. We are saying this after analysing the data for the last 15 days. The range of positive cases is between 60 to 80 cases and only twice we have crossed the 100 mark.
Q: Do you expect the second surge to be worse than the first one?
Though experts can tell about that, but I think it will not be as worse as the first peak. There are many factors involved in this. One of the factors I consider is that we have now got lot of experience, the medicines are now available, expert opinion is available and protocols have been standardised. So, I don’t think that it will be worse.
Q: How many cases you expect in the second surge?
There are many studies and many projections by experts, but we expect that it will be around 60% of the first peak.
Q: What are the steps that you are taking to check the second surge. Has the first peak experience helped?
We have already started our review meetings with nodal officers of each activity and we have also conducted two meetings with the private hospitals and other hospitals and they have also emphasised on mask wearing and other things. For Chhath Puja also, we did a detailed meeting with all those people so that the spread does not take place. We are gearing up and holding daily meetings, which we used to have during peak time also. We have started these with the departments concerned, including health, MC, etc.
Q: There seems to be some sort of fatigue seen among many people who are not wearing masks or are ignoring other norms related to Covid. What are you doing to ensure that norms are followed?
All private hospitals have agreed to the proposal that they will be given particular area where they will be sensitizing people in an area. We have more than 20 private hospitals which are into Covid-19 patient handling and since the problem is in Ludhiana district, so we have divided the district into zones and given one particular area to each hospital in these zones. They will be using their own innovative ideas to sensitize people in that area.
Q: Health department had collected data on comorbidities. Will you use that data in checking the second surge?
There is one district development cell which is analyzing the whole data and the comorbid cases will be our priority this time around.
Q: Is there any move to impose another lockdown?
I think we will not be reaching that position or situation wherein a lockdown can be needed. We don’t need it. We will be able to cross this peak without the need for imposing a lockdown.
Q: When do you expect vaccine for Covid-19 to come?
Vaccine will be coming by December end and we have made the preparations for administering it to healthcare workers, priority people, including the vulnerable ones who have comorbid. There is a difference of time of one and half months in the second and third wave, so by that time vaccine will be there and we will be able to pass through this Covid pandemic. The first priority for vaccination are the healthcare workers, old people, those with comorbid conditions, officials working in the front line, including administrators and police, etc.
Q: What is your message to people in Ludhiana as far as Covid-19 pandemic is concerned?
The message to the people in Ludhiana is that as per the government guidelines, until the vaccine is there, we will have to wear mask. It is the only vaccine available at this point of time. They should follow norms related to Covid, including wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, hand hygiene, etc. We have requested the commissioner of police to enforce the SOPs and have also asked the SDM offices to report about this.
Q: Is industry working properly as of now?
Manufacturing has picked up and they are now working at more than 60-70% of their capacity, so there are no industrial issues. But yes, if Covid-19 increases and rises to that level, then there will be some restrictions, not from our side, but from industrial houses. They may be regulating their labour movement and other movements.