War against COVID-19 not over, it can return with vengeance: AIIMS Task Force Chief

"We have to go far ahead of 100 crores and have to make everybody double vaccinated. So this is our aim and we are moving ahead, but we have to move faster and ensure that everybody gets the second dose as well," said Dr Navneet Wig.

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Dehi: The Chairperson of the COVID-19 Task Force in AIIMS Delhi, Dr Navneet Wig on Saturday (October 2, 2021) said that the war against COVID-19 is still not easy as the pandemic can come back with a vengeance. Dr Navneet Wig also cautioned people even as India successfully administered 90 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. 

"We have to go far ahead of 100 crores and have to make everybody double vaccinated. So this is our aim and we are moving ahead, but we have to move faster and ensure that everybody gets the second dose as well," Dr Wig told ANI.

"And that is how we are going to win this war. It is not an easy war still, we cannot be overconfident, we have to be a little underconfident so that we don't lower our guard and take all precautions," he added.

Dr Wig further said that some states have still a positivity rate of more than 10 percent. "It is not easy. Many countries are still fighting battles. So we have to be very cautious as this can come back with a vengeance," he stated.

Meanwhile, ahead of the festival season, the Union Health Ministry has been continuously alerting states and union territories to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The AIIMS COVID-19 Task Force chief said that the people of the country will have to be extra careful till two weeks after Diwali because acute febrile illness is all around.

"We are seeing cases with dengue, scrub typhus, typhoid fever and airborne diseases. So it is very difficult for doctors to decide if it is Covid or flu, dengue, typhoid fever, or viral hepatitis. So my request is that till festival season, please go slow, wear your mask and avoid social gatherings," he stated. 

(With ANI inputs)