Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, June 14: Life limping back to normal in Kashmir nearly after 3-months have made the experts sound an alarm. They are reiterating that people should be cautious as the COVID-19 has not gone and its very much present in Kashmir.
President of Doctors Association Kashmir, Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, has dropped a bombshell by claiming that Kashmir’s 98% population is susceptible to COVID-19 infection. While quoting a survey, Dr Nisar said that a sero-surveillance study conducted in Pulwama district of Kashmir by ICMR in May revealed that 2 percent of the population surveyed showed antibodies in their blood. “The presence of antibodies means that the person had infection in the recent past and is now immune to the virus,” he said, “The findings of the study show that most of the people are not immune to the disease and herd immunity is still far away.”
Its in place to mention here that the administration has lifted the restrictions from most of the areas in Kashmir and the movement of people from one district to another has commenced. “Many experts are of the opinion that now the threat about virus moving fast is more as the people have started coming out. In this case scenario the transmission of virus from one person to another is very high,” an analyst told Precious Kashmir.
The analyst said that the experts have warned that next wave of the virus could be more deadly. “There is nothing much that people can do. They can just take precautions like maintaining hand hygiene, wearing masks and following social distance,” he added.
The ICMR survey which was conducted across the country has revealed that only 0.73% people are immune to the virus and others haven’t developed any immunity. “The writing on the wall is clear that we have to learn to live with the virus. How many of us will survive the COVID-19 onslaught depends upon our luck. The Union Health Ministry has claimed the recovery rate has increased to 50% across the country. The government is trying to send a message that everything is under control but the number of cases increasing with each passing day have added to the prevailing insecurity,” the analyst added.
Dr Nisar said, “We are not out of woods yet. We are still in it. I don’t want people to think there is no more risk. when people will come out they will catch the disease for sure. They may recover and get immune too.”
An observer said that with too many ifs and buts it appears that coming days are not going to be that easy and there is nothing to rejoice. “The virus is very much present in the environment and it seems in no mood to go. Taking precautions is the only way out,” he added.
COVID-19: Kashmir not out of the woods, people yet to become immune
