Come Monday, January 13th and the 45-day Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, 2025 will unfold. It is expected to attract about 40 crore people, according to some senior officials from the government of Uttar Pradesh.
If large congregations in times of viral infections wafting through the air, evoke fears of super-spread of respiratory infections, experts tell us caution, not alarm, is what matters, especially for those who are not in the best of their health or are immunocompromised or having a weakened immune system and therefore prone to higher chances of acquiring an illness and infection.
For those recounting the COVID days trying to draw parallels with large gathering seeding the spread of infections, experts seem to see little similarity and prefer to confine to individual caution.
Breathe easy, say the health experts. Yes, a few cases of the viral infection have been spotted in India but do not panic, they say. The Human MetaPneumoVirus of HMPV, the new letters of the English alphabet that have come to define this virus, they explain, has been around for decades and the government’s network of surveillance sites do not seem to suggest any significant pick up in this infection alone.
But given that there will be lot of crowding, usual precautions will need to be taken to prevent outbreaks considering that in the winter months especially, air-borne, respiratory infections and their implications matter. Considering that telling everyone to mask up, may not be feasible, each person practicing caution may be the only hope. It may bring some comfort when experts do not seem to foresee any kind of risk that were seen as danger elements in 2021 during the COVID days.
However, they do remind that in large congregations there are greater chances of all air-borne infections spreading. Here is what Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the first and the former chief scientist at the World Health Organisation has to say: “While there is no reason for alarm, it may be advisable to tell people who are suffering from cold and cough or are immunocompromised, to reschedule or delay their trip. This may not only be good for them but also help in preventing the spread of infection to others.” Coupled with this, it always helps to take basic precautions like hand-washing and maintaining hygiene.
To some of the other experts spoken to, who did not wish to be named, a bigger concern could be the environmental pollution and the need for people to maintain hygiene at such pilgrim events, not just to maintain the sanctity of the place but also display a respect for the environment.