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Title: “Pandemic is not over till it is Over” needs to be re-enforced
Dear Editor
Read with interest article “Is covid-19 really getting milder?” and although I do tend to agree with most of the opinions expressed in the article by the experts, there are some that need more reinforcing than others. [1]
The consolidated opinion reflected in the title of “Covid getting milder” is a message that I would like to avoid reaching academics and common masses equally. The reasons for this is largely based on an understanding developed over a period of time about Covid-19 which more or less consolidates on the fact that Covid-19 has thrown up more challenges to the public health than any other infection in last 100 years or so and that includes HIV. While on the one hand, the acute manifestation of the infection disrupted and continue to disrupt health, economies and societies, the long term complications may turn out to be a public health crisis in the making. But most important perhaps is the fact that despite having been in the pandemic for more than three years now, the rate of transmission of infection has not slowed down significantly. The continued high transmission rate and negligible or near negligible herd immunity achieved despite reinfections and repeat vaccination, re-infections are happening more frequently than one expects to happen in the latter part of third year of pandemic. The real impact of reinfections will only be known in the years to come.
The pandemic is not over till it is over probably needs to be re-enforced more strongly than ever before and the value of use of precautions to reduce the impact of the infection needs emphasis in public discourse. The dominant message in the public domain on Covid-19 should continue to be that “We continue to be in the midst of the pandemic and that we need to be careful”.
Reference:
1. Looi M, Mahase E. Has Covid-19 become milder? BMJ 2022;379:o2516
Dr. Sunil Kumar Raina, MD
Professor & Head Community Medicine
Dr. RP Govt. Medical College, Tanda (HP), India ojasrainasunil@yahoo.co.in
Note: the opinions expressed are solely those of the author and should not be imputed to any public or private entities.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
29 October 2022
Sunil Kumar Raina
Professor
Dr, RP Govt. Medical College, Tanda, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India
Dr, RP Govt. Medical College, Tanda, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India
Re: Has covid-19 become milder?
Title: “Pandemic is not over till it is Over” needs to be re-enforced
Dear Editor
Read with interest article “Is covid-19 really getting milder?” and although I do tend to agree with most of the opinions expressed in the article by the experts, there are some that need more reinforcing than others. [1]
The consolidated opinion reflected in the title of “Covid getting milder” is a message that I would like to avoid reaching academics and common masses equally. The reasons for this is largely based on an understanding developed over a period of time about Covid-19 which more or less consolidates on the fact that Covid-19 has thrown up more challenges to the public health than any other infection in last 100 years or so and that includes HIV. While on the one hand, the acute manifestation of the infection disrupted and continue to disrupt health, economies and societies, the long term complications may turn out to be a public health crisis in the making. But most important perhaps is the fact that despite having been in the pandemic for more than three years now, the rate of transmission of infection has not slowed down significantly. The continued high transmission rate and negligible or near negligible herd immunity achieved despite reinfections and repeat vaccination, re-infections are happening more frequently than one expects to happen in the latter part of third year of pandemic. The real impact of reinfections will only be known in the years to come.
The pandemic is not over till it is over probably needs to be re-enforced more strongly than ever before and the value of use of precautions to reduce the impact of the infection needs emphasis in public discourse. The dominant message in the public domain on Covid-19 should continue to be that “We continue to be in the midst of the pandemic and that we need to be careful”.
Reference:
1. Looi M, Mahase E. Has Covid-19 become milder? BMJ 2022;379:o2516
Dr. Sunil Kumar Raina, MD
Professor & Head Community Medicine
Dr. RP Govt. Medical College, Tanda (HP), India
ojasrainasunil@yahoo.co.in
Note: the opinions expressed are solely those of the author and should not be imputed to any public or private entities.
Competing interests: No competing interests