Srinagar, Mar 20: The steady surge in Coronavirus cases in J&K, even as the vaccination drive is underway, has raised legitimate concerns about the prevailing second wave of the virus in the region.

Doctors believe that the rise of 50 cases per day to now over 150 per day indicates that J&K is in second wave.

Known doctor and former director SKIMS Dr Mohammad Sultan Khuroo said that the second wave of Covid-19 is already here, “but a matter of concern will be how this second wave will behave”.

He said that cases have started rising in Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam and Jammu districts, while the rest of the districts haven’t seen any surge yet.

“J&K is reporting three times more cases than it was reporting a few days before,” he said.

Khuroo said that people must support vaccination and take both doses on time.

“We must adhere to Covid-19 SOPs like wearing mask particularly when going outside, maintain social distance, sanitize hands, avoid close door gathering,” he said.

“Vaccine is very safe with mild side effects and it will take few more months to break the pandemic,” he said while adding that people must leave hesitancy and whosoever is being offered vaccine must take it at the earliest.

Khuroo said that it is not necessary that vaccine can give sterilizing immunity and even after getting vaccination, one can get a virus in your throat.

Khuroo said that rapid tests are not much effective and there is a need to switch to another alternative form of testing so that people can get cent per cent right report.

“School going children, their teachers and other staff must follow SOPs in letter and spirit,” he said.

Experts believe that there is a need to learn to live with the virus and the pandemic may end but Covid-19 can re-emerge as a seasonal virus like other viruses.

They said that strain is already in the community and it can reemerge any time as only a few per cent population have been vaccinated so far.

Dr Naveed Nazir Shah said that people must learn how to live with the virus and come for vaccination at the earliest.

“As of now, the situation isn’t critical. At present, around 80 per cent Covid positive patients are at their homes and just a few per cent of people need oxygen or need to keep in ICU,” Shah said. “People will take vaccines without any hesitancy and follow precautions in letter and spirit, only then we can beat this pandemic easily.” kno