Expert warns of spike in Covid-19 cases in poll bound states

The election commission this time has suggested that all the officials on poll duty should be vaccinated. The commission is likely to issue more guidelines as far as forthcoming elections and maintaining social distancing norms are concerned.

New Delhi: With just a few days left for the Assembly elections in four states and UTs, renowned health expert and ICMR advisor Dr Suneela Garg has warned that the poll-bound states might witness a spike in Covid cases if proper precautions aren't taken.

Dr Garg admitted that people have become complacent in following social distancing norms.

"When we talk about Covid-19 vaccine, there is continuous dhilai (laxility) in adhering to the social distancing norms," Dr Garg said.

"People have become complacent after they started taking vaccines. But, despite the vaccines, social distancing and Covid-19 protocols should be maintained even now," added Dr Garg.

A central health team that visited Maharashtra recently has said that large scale gathering and non-adherence to the Covid-19 social distancing norms led a large spike in Covid cases in the state.

"The general habit of the people is that they are not following Covid-19 prevention protocols and this is also what the high-level central team has found in its report. The laxity in maintaining Covid-19 prevention steps has resulted in a spike of Covid-19 cases," Dr Garg said.

At the time of the Bihar assembly election too, the union health ministry had issued Covid-19 guidelines. And even then there were reports that people hardly maintained protocol.

"Earlier central government issued guidelines in respect to Bihar election also. The health ministry asked the concerned authorities to maintain the Covid-19 protocol. The issue is how many people followed the social distancing norms," said Dr Garg.

In fact, the election commission this time has suggested that all the officials on poll duty should be vaccinated. The commission is likely to issue more guidelines as far as forthcoming elections and maintaining social distancing norms are concerned.

"Guidelines are there for the polling stations like how to maintain Covid protocol, how to maintain proper distancing and all. But in reality, we have to see how far it is implemented?" said Dr Garg.

Dr Garg suggested that there should be containment zones where ever there is a spike in Covid-19 cases.

"The administration in poll-bound states must adhere to the Covid-19 protocol," suggested Dr Garg.

On the question of vaccination for all the candidates in the election, Dr Garg said that it is necessary to ensure vaccination to polling officers. "The polling observers and officials should be vaccinated first as they will confront a large number of people," said Dr Garg.

At the same time, Dr Garg cautioned that the large spike in a few states should be taken seriously.

"This is a mutating virus. And the cases that at coming ow days are all asymptomatic. We should all maintain Covid protocol," added Dr Garg.