India is reeling through the warning of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic amid bracing up the horrendous second wave that has put lives under immense distress and the medical infrastructure under the need for introspection and enhancement to address the health crisis. Though the predictions of the third wave can't be spelt accurately, the country is in a state that the wave is inevitable. 

The health experts warn that the third wave could target the younger population and it's imperative to keep a tight grip on the existing containment measures to combat it. There were several predictions from the health experts and government bodies over when the third wave will hit the country and how it should be prepared. In line with that, AIIMS Delhi Chief Dr Randeep Guleria has issued a warning with his prediction. 

According to reports, Dr Guleria has predicted that the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic can hit the country anytime in the next six to eight weeks. He said, "As we have started unlocking, there is again a lack of Covid-appropriate behaviour. We don't seem to have learned from what happened between the first and second waves. Again crowds are building up and people are gathering." 

He said, "It will take some time for the number of cases to start rising at the national level. Third-wave is inevitable and it could hit the country within the next six to eight weeks...maybe a little longer." He further asked the people to keep their containment guard to tackle the third wave of the pandemic. His prediction has come amid the country is in grave concern about the Covid variants that are recently discovered and declared to be more aggressive. 

The variants were named Delta and Kappa and earlier this week, the scientists in New Delhi had said the highly transmissible Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was first found in India has mutated further to form the Delta Plus variant. The experts attribute the surge of the cases across the country during the second wave of the pandemic to the Delta Variant. As a sign of relief, India has reported less than one lakh cases in the past 24 hours till Saturday morning, a decline for the 12th straight day. 

Earlier this month, VK Saraswat, a member of NITI Aayog, said that the third wave of the pandemic may affect the younger population and he further recommended the government increase vaccinations. He said that India's epidemiologists have given very clear indications that the third wave of the pandemic is inevitable. As per his prediction, the nation will likely be witnessing the third wave from October.