Bengaluru, Apr 26: Experts have predicted that the COVID-19 fourth wave may peak after June and have its effects till October, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said on Tuesday and has stressed on learning to live with the virus by taking precautionary measures like vaccination and wearing masks.

He said the prevalent variants of the virus is said to be Omicron’s sublineages and an official report in this regard is likely in a couple of days. “IIT Kanpur said reports, according to a report shared by them it the fourth wave is likely to start from June end, but things have started a month ahead. According to them it is likely to peak after June and may go one till September and October,” Sudhakar said.

Amid fresh COVID-19 concerns in different parts of the country and apprehensions of a possible fourth wave of the pandemic, the Karnataka government had issued guidelines making wearing of face-masks and maintaining social distancing compulsory.

Referring to the rise in number of cases in the country in the last one week, Sudhakar said situation in all the states will be analysed at the PM’s meeting with Chief Ministers of all the states via video conferencing tomorrow and discussion will take place on precautionary measures that need to be taken.

He said the country could manage the third wave of COVID with not many fatalities or hospitalisations due to vaccination programme undertaken by the government.

Advising that those who have not taken the second dose and those eligible for the precautionary dose of COVID vaccination, to get vaccinated immediately and not to wait for the next wave of the pandemic, the Minister said there is enough stock of vaccines available in the state.