Covid peak over, can be controlled early next year, claims govt panel

New Delhi: If all COVID-19 protocols are followed, the coronavirus pandemic can be controlled by February-end with minimal active symptomatic infections, a government-appointed committee stated.

The committee has also claimed that there is no reason to impose fresh lockdowns on district or state level unless there is an imminent danger of healthcare facilities being overwhelmed.

The panel, comprising 10 members including professors from IITs and IISc besides scientists, conducted a study on "Progression of the COVID-19 Pandemic in India: Prognosis and Lockdown Impacts", pointed out that with no lockdown, the pandemic would have hit India very hard with a peak load of over 1.40 crore cases in June 2020.