MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) The second wave of the coronavirus may hit Russia "even tomorrow", if people lower their guard and do not pay enough attention to safety, the World Health Organization (WHO)'s spokeswoman in Russia, Melita Vujnovic, told Sputnik in an interview.
"No one can make forecasts, as too many factors play a role. There is a possibility it could happen even tomorrow, if everyone drops the guard and people start gathering in groups of 1,000 in closed spaces. Even if there is only one infected person there, this will be enough," Vujnovic said, when asked when the second wave could be expected.
At the same time, the spreading of the virus could be stopped if all those people immediately addressed doctors, underwent testing and self-isolated, the WHO representative noted.
Vujnovic pointed to the importance of hygienic practices.
"We talk about masks very often. A mask alone reduces the risk, albeit slightly. However, if both you and me wear a mask, wash hands properly and stay in locations with natural ventilation, then the risk of contracting the disease � even if one of us is infected � is much lower compared to a situation with us seating at a 70 centimeter distance and talking like this for 30 minutes. In that case, if one of us was infected, the other one would get infected as well. It should be understood that mass events may be held, but there should be control, and epidemiological measures should be implemented. Being too cautious is better than facing a new wave," Vujnovic added.
Russia has recorded over 707,000 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the outbreak.
