What is a second wave and should we prepare for it?

The current pandemic has caused substantial disruption, and it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Some countries are still in the midst of the battle against the pandemic, some have managed to contain the situation, yet all countries fear a second wave. Health experts in the UK are warning ministers to prepare for a second wave after a decision was made to ease the lockdown restrictions at the beginning of July.

When we try to define what a second wave is, a good analogy would be that of the sea. A second wave would be when numbers or cases go up then drops, and each cycle is representative of one wave of the coronavirus.

To claim that one wave has ended, cases should fall substantially and the virus should be under control. For a second wave to start, a sustained rise in infections occurs. Beijing for example, is currently facing an outbreak after 50 successful virus-free days, and this doesn’t count as a second wave. However, some scientists speculate that Iran may be facing a second wave. In the case of the UK, the impact depends on the decisions the government takes, and how well people conform to these decisions. The effects of lockdown have been overwhelming, affecting people’s livelihood, income and education. However, new measures are being introduced to control the coronavirus such as contact tracing. 

In conclusion, there is a probability of a second wave, and however tiny that probability might be, we must all do our part to help mitigate the spread of the virus.