By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, June 22: Health experts have welcomed the decisions of the government to ease the lockdown, however, they have urged the people to abide by health safety measures saying that resurging phases of COVID-19 have been evident across the country. 

Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the clinical research unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku, attributed the decrease in the transmission and contraction rate of COVID-19 in the country to the break of chain of the infection  or the development of natural antibody in people with majority of people coming in contact with SARS-CoV-2.

“We have to take a chance and see if many have developed natural antibodies against the virus, if that is the case, then it is unlikely that cases will surge exponentially after easing of lockdown,” Dr. Pun said. 

“Even if chain-breaking of SRAS-CoV-2 transmission is resulted by the strict enforcement of lockdown measures because of which number of cases has declined, it will take at least two weeks to surge COVID-19 cases. Even then, with the strict adherence to health protocols, spread of the virus can be minimized,” added Dr. Pun.

Saying that many phases of COVID-19 infection have resurged worldwide, Dr. Pun emphasised on strict adoption of health safety standards, vaccination, and contract tracing to mitigate the possibility of the other round of outbreak.

Similarly, Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel, Director at the Epidemiology and Communicable Disease Control Division and also the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), said that the decision to ease the lockdown has been made after monitoring the local transmission status and in confidence that local administration will properly monitor the COVID-19 status when taking any decision in the regard.

Dr. Poudel urged the public to adapt to ‘New Normal’ saying that it is the only way to control further spread of the virus and urged the denizens to support the government by adhering to health safety standards.

He, however, expressed worries about the possibility of resurgence of COVID-19 cases and the tumultuous cost that the country will have to face in case people neglect to abide by health safety protocols with the relaxation of the prohibitory orders.  

Dr. Poudel assured the people that the government is striving to procure the COVID-19 vaccine by utilizing all the sources and that the people will be provided the second dose of the vaccine soon. 

“Extended period of lockdown does not guarantee to erase the virus as many phases of COVID-19 have been resurging, but, rapid contact tracing, intensified vaccination campaign as well as monitoring and enforced stick restriction on hot spots,” said Dr. Basudev Pandey, former Director of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) and also a virologist.