People have to ensure there is no COVID-19 '3rd wave': CSIR DG Shekhar Mande

Director General of the Council Of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Dr Shekhar Mande said a "third wave" of COVID-19 infections cannot be ruled out and it was for people to ensure it does not happen.

Speaking to reporters online on Sunday night, the head of the premier institution under the Union ministry of science and technology, said people have to maintain self-discipline and self-regulation and show the way to beat the disease.

"All the pandemics in the world have come in the form of waves. We are currently seeing a strong third wave in some European countries, so a third wave cannot be ruled out (in India)," said Mande.

Answering a question, the CSIR DG said a few cases of reinfection had been seen, including in Maharashtra, but the numbers were less and, hence, it was not possible to make a "generic statement" on it.

"In millions of cases, the number of reinfection cases are 100 or 1000, so, therefore, making a generic statement on the occurrence of reinfection will be difficult at this stage," he said.

Mande said people would have to be alert even if the number of cases start declining, adding that "it was up to us to ensure the third wave does not come".

"As a society, we should resolve that we will be disciplined and regulated," Mande said.