# Why is India experiencing a surge in Covid in April 2021? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [April 26, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798 "2021-04-26T16:16:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798/1 "2021-04-26T16:16:23Z")
Continuing the discussion from [Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1220): > [@Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1220): > > That might have contributed to the surge, but not much is being said of the “double mutant” strain of the virus found in India. (Some media outlets are terming it “triple-mutant”; don’t know what that means and if it refers to the same strain.) Also how are superspreader events held to blame? There is certainly not enough data to prove that the Hindu festivals or the thousands of Ramadaan iftaar parties happening all over India are to blame for this surge. I’m not following you. I’m not suggesting that it was only the festivals that caused the surge. The article and several other articles suggest that it was partly the laxity of social distancing and mask wearing that caused the variants to become so deadly. If everyone was social distancing, mask wearing or just plain isolating, it wouldn’t matter about the variants because people would be lowering their risk of getting it. Here’s an article on why the surge in India. This article basically talks about the reduction in social distancing and mask wearing. > **[Coronavirus In India: Why There Is A Sudden Surge In COVID-19 Cases? |...](https://www.thehealthsite.com/news/coronavirus-in-india-why-there-is-a-massive-surge-in-covid-19-cases-centre-lists-out-reasons-806159/)** > > India is experiencing a huge spike in the number of active coronavirus cases from different corners, here is what lead to the sudden surge. Read on! TheHealthSite.com Here’s another article. This one does talk about the variants and does mention that it’s difficult to know how much the laxity or the virulence of the variant is responsible. > [@](#): > > But unless we know to what extent the increase in infections can be attributed to the new variant, we will not be able to determine conclusively whether laxity in following COVID-appropriate behavior drove the surge or whether the greater virulence of the new variant is responsible. But he still notes that if there were stricter measures taken when the variant was discovered, then this might not have happened. That still goes back to laxity at some point. > [@](#): > > _Could we have prevented the current worrying situation in India?_ > > We came to know about the new variant circulating in India in February, from reports coming out of Maharashtra. Now it has spread to many states and countries. Had we acted with more alacrity when it was first detected, we might have been able to lessen the impact. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798/2 "2021-04-26T17:11:21Z")
The fact is, we should all be a lot less comfortable about “knowing” what causes surges and case drops. I have no doubt distancing and masks have a mitigating effect but there are obviously much bigger factors that are unknown. I know swimming moves me in the water but it doesn’t matter much if I get caught in a riptide. > **[The COVID-19 disaster that did not happen in Texas](https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2021/4/20/22394076/covid-19-texas-pandemic-infection-rates-restrictions-gov-greg-abbott-jacob-sullum)** > > Cases are rising mainly in states with stricter disease control policies — for all sorts of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798/3 "2021-04-26T17:33:13Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > The fact is, we should all be a lot less comfortable about “knowing” what causes surges and case drops. I have no doubt distancing and masks have a mitigating effect but there are obviously much bigger factors that are unknown… This was a predictable response from you. I’ve been reading on why the increase in Texas and Florida didn’t happen. Yes, the statewide mask mandates were dropped, but compliance was not that much different than before. What the government mandates doesn’t matter as much if the population does something different. In Texas, many people didn’t follow the governor’s dropping of the mask mandate. Also, the State of Texas had a huge amount of cancellations of big events that had been planned, so there was less opportunity for people to get infected. In contrast, in India, the government didn’t change its policies. The people just did more things with less social distancing and masks, like the festivals and political rallies. It matters what the people do, not what the government says they can do. > [@](#): > > One reason those dark prophecies have not come true: The practical impact of Abbott’s changes was much less significant than his detractors implied. > > Most businesses in Texas had been allowed to operate at 75 percent of capacity since mid-October, when Abbott also [allowed](https://www.texastribune.org/2020/10/07/texas-bars-reopen-greg-abbott/) bars to reopen. It was implausible that removing the cap would have much of an impact on virus transmission, even in businesses that were frequently hitting the 75 percent limit. > > While Abbott said Texans would no longer be legally required to cover their faces in public, he urged them to keep doing so, and many businesses continued to require masks. At the stores I visit in Dallas, there has been no noticeable change in policy or in customer compliance. > **[The COVID-19 Disaster That Did Not Happen in Texas](https://reason.com/2021/04/21/the-covid-19-disaster-that-did-not-happen-in-texas/)** > > Cases are rising mainly in states with stricter disease control policies. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798/4 "2021-04-26T18:02:20Z")
You realize that’s the same opinion piece I posted, no? > [@](#): > > In any event, COVID-19 surges are happening mainly in states with more legal restrictions than Florida or Texas is imposing. _The Washington Post_ nevertheless [says](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04/04/covid-fourth-wave/) “experts…agree” that rising infection numbers are largely due to “a broad loosening of public health measures, such as mask mandates and limits on indoor dining”—a claim that is tenable only if you ignore all the countervailing examples. from the article. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798/5 "2021-04-26T18:07:08Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > You realize that’s the same column I posted, no?. So you didn’t read your own article? The quote was the same. The article I posted was in the original publication. The author is an editor. The article you posted was an opinion piece in another publication. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-india-experiencing-a-surge-in-covid-in-april-2021/940798/6 "2021-04-26T18:16:56Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > The article I posted was in the original publication. The author is an editor. Why do this? He has a syndicated column that was published in the Chicago Sun-Times, then re-released on Reason. I mean, look at the dates?