Patna: ‘Exercise caution during celebrations’

PATNA: Amid a sudden rise in Covid-19 cases, health experts now fear that New Year celebrations may lead to faster transmission of coronavirus. They have, therefore, advised people to avoid travelling unless absolutely necessary and postpone plans to visit any tourist spot in favour of strictly adhering to the safety norms.
Dr Nitish Kumar Ranjan, the assistant director of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology, told this reporter on Thursday, “Once again, the virus in the form of an invisible foe is out to infect everyone, and the crowds gathered for New Year celebrations may serve as an open invitation to attack.”
Dr Pankaj Tiwari of the Patna Medical College and Hospital stated that coronavirus found an opportunity to spread rapidly last year and early this year as a result of the gathering of people to celebrate Christmas, New Year, and Makar Sankranti.“We cannot rule out a bursting situation within weeks if people do not exercise caution and refrain from participating in picnics or large gatherings,” he warned.
A child specialist, Dr Sunil Kishore, explained, “Because the Omicron variant is highly contagious, the chain can be broken only through social distancing. Children who are not protected by vaccines are at a high risk of contracting the virus while participating in outdoor games or having fun with friends in parks. It is now the parents’ responsibility to monitor their children, instil in them the habit of wearing masks, and prevent them from visiting crowded places.”
Dr Anil Kumar, the head of the emergency and trauma department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Patna, asked people to “think about surviving this pandemic first”. He added, “Wearing face masks was frowned upon a year ago, but it has become unavoidable now.”
Dr Kunal Kumar, a neurosurgeon at Ruban Hospital, claimed that the pandemic had resulted in many people developing psychiatric problems. He continued, “While the government or health experts may issue guidelines, it is an individual’s responsibility to follow them.”