COVID pandemic likely to continue in next year, second wave in some regions: AIIMS Chief

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread at an alarming rate in the country,  All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr. Randeep Guleria on Friday said that the daily coronavirus cases will continue to rise for some more months as the country is witnessing a second wave of COVID-19 in some of the regions. 

Guleria said that the coronavirus pandemic is likely to continue till 2021. The pandemic will end by next year and the curve by then will be flattened instead of rising sharply, he said in a televised interview.

India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 40 lakh mark with a single-day spike of 86,432 new cases and 1,089 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The total case tally as of Saturday, September 5 stands at 40,23,179 including 8,46,395 active cases, 31,07,223 cured or discharged or migrated and 69,561 deaths, according to the data released by the Ministry of Health. The five worst-affected states include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh which comprise of the maximum number of active COVID caseload.

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COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Not Before Mid 2021

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization's (WHO) chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said that the worldwide distribution of vaccines on a mass level against COVID-19 may take place by mid-2021.

While addressing a press briefing on Friday Swaminathan said, "So realistically speaking, probably the second half, the middle of 2021 - maybe the second quarter, the third quarter of 2021 - is when we can start seeing doses actually flowing into countries so that they can start to immunize their populations". 

This expected timeline for the worldwide distribution of vaccine comes as there are various vaccine candidates that are in phase III of the human clinical trials, which is expected to be concluded by this year-end or early next year, Swaminathan added.

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MHA Extends Lockdown 

Last month, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has extended the coronavirus-related lockdown limited to containment zones till 30 September. The MHA released the detailed guidelines under 'Unlock 4' allowing resumption of Metro Rail services, social gatherings upto 100 people with social distancing, open-air theatres. Schools, colleges and other institutions, swimming pools, cinema halls, theatres, and similar places will remain shut. Centre govt has also instructed states to not impose any local lockdown outside containment zones without MHA approval and to allow free movement of people and goods throughout the nation.

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