Third Covid wave may hit dist next month: Official

Coimbatore: District monitoring officer M A Siddique said the possibility of a third Covid-19 wave was high and that the district administration had ramped up preventive measures, with a special focus on rural areas.
He convened a meeting with the bureaucrats, village panchayat presidents, representatives of various traders’ associations and industrial sector at the district collectorate here on Monday evening to discuss the course of action to be implemented in the wake of a slight spike in daily cases.
Addressing the media, Siddique said the district had only 43% of seroprevalence (percentage of the population with antibodies against the virus). It was the second lowest seroprevalence in the state. “Hence, there is a possibility of a third wave in the district. Both the public and health department officials should be ready to face the wave, which might hit the district next month. Vaccination is the only solution. So, we are taking steps to allot more vaccine doses to the district.”
He requested the people to wear face masks compulsorily, maintain social distancing and wash hands with sanitizers. People should be vigilant, he said.
“Beds, including the ones with oxygen facilities, are kept ready at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), ESI Hospital and private hospitals in the district. We are expecting the viral load to reduce in other districts. So, there are plans to shift the doctors and medical staff there to Coimbatore, if needed,” Siddique said.
The officer said the district administration was ready to face any challenges. “We can face the third wave without mortality and people should be more vigilant for the next two months. For children, the district administration has set up 124 oxygen bedsand 82 ICU beds at CMCH, and 40 oxygen beds and 30 ICU beds at the ESI Hospital.”
The meeting was attended by collector G S Sameeran, city police commissioner Deepak M Damor, corporation head Raja Gopal Sunkara, district revenue officer Leela Alex, CMCH dean Nirmala and other officials.