As states across the country remove COVID-19 lockdown restrictions step by step with much caution, citizens locked in for months are rushing out to relish the freedom forgetting the harsh lessons from the second wave.
On Monday, pictures from Manali that showed crowded public places went viral on social media platforms.
With shops, malls and other activities opening up, it is hardly surprising that people have begun stepping out but the lack of social distancing has left many fearing the third wave.
On Tuesday, a video shows a little boy questioning the public walking out onto a street without masks. The reaction of the passersby shows that people have begun to turn careless again.
In this video, shared by @Dharamshalalocal on Instagram, the boy can be seen asking people to wear a mask as they walk past him with a smirk.
Many experts including doctors and epidemiologists have warned that a third wave is inevitable and a lot depends on following the precautions that have stood us in good stead.
Earlier, the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) chief Dr Randeep Guleria had warned, "We don’t seem to have learnt from what happened between the first and the second waves. Crowds are building... people are gathering. It will take some time for the number of cases to start rising at the national level. The third wave is inevitable and it could hit the country within the next six to eight weeks... may be a little longer."
There is a need to factor in human behaviour while unlocking, he reiterated.
Here are the basics of Covid-appropriate behaviour: