Third Covid wave in India to be a 'ripple' if there's no fast-spreading mutant: Study

Scientists have applied the Sutra model to project the severity of the third wave of Covid-19 in India. According to the analysis, the third wave of Covid-19 in the country will be a "ripple" if there is no significantly faster-spreading mutant.

The third wave of Covid-19 in the country will be a "ripple" if there is no significantly faster-spreading mutant, projections of the 'Sutra' model say. According to the Sutra analysis, if there is such a faster-spreading mutant, the third wave will be "comparable to the first one". So the bottom line is: if there is no significantly faster spreading mutant, third wave will be a ripple. And if there is such a mutant, third wave will be comparable to first one. However, if there is an immunity-escape mutant, all the above scenarios will be invalid! Then came imponderables. Will there be a new, more infectious, mutant? If yes, when will it strike? When will people abandon caution completely as in March this year? One can only make guesses, which may be completely wrong. Hence, it is better to compute a few what-if scenarios. The scientists behind the ‘Sutra Model’ were earlier part of an expert panel set up by the Department of Science and Technology under the Government of India.