Covid Curbs Lifted: Removing Mask Mandates Not Wise, Coronavirus Not Out of the World Yet, Say Experts

Two years after the Covid-19 pandemic struck, several states in the country have removed all restrictions in view of decreasing daily coronavirus cases. Some states like Maharashtra and West Bengal have done away with the mask mandate, while Delhi made masks optional in public places by removing the penalty for not wearing them.

But, experts have stressed the importance of masking up despite a drop in daily coronavirus cases, with the threat of the Omicron sub-variant looming large. Neighbouring China, too, is battling its biggest wave of locally transmitted cases since it contained the initial outbreak in Wuhan in 2020.

Doctors said while the Centre’s decision must have been taken in consultation with experts, there was a potential risk as “Covid is not out of the world yet”.

Dr Priya Abraham, Director of the National Institute of Virology in Pune, said the time had not yet come to discard basic precautions such as wearing a mask. She cautioned that people must wear a mask while stepping out.

“Right now, Covid infections are low, it’s a good thing. In any crowded place, we must wear a mask. A mask definitely has a role in containing the spread. We still need to be careful and cautious. Time hasn’t come yet to discard these precautions,” Abraham was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Many doctors, too, said the move to do away with mask mandates or even make them optional in public “was not wise” and should have been done in a “phased manner”. They also cautioned that the vulnerable population should continue to follow all Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland have issued orders, completely lifting Covid restrictions. But, state governments have nevertheless stressed on the importance of mask use in public, maintaining hand hygiene as well physical distancing.

In Delhi, where mask use is now optional, Omicron was detected in all 442 samples of Covid positive patients that underwent genome sequencing in March, as per official data. Doctors from leading hospitals in Delhi agreed that while cases had significantly reduced, the risk was not over yet.

Between January and March in Delhi, 578 samples of Covid patients who died were sequenced of which 560 samples, around 97 per cent, recorded the Omicron variant. Laboratories received 776 samples in March of which only 442 samples were found viable and all had Omicron. Not a single sample had the Delta variant or its sub-lineages.

During the third wave fuelled by Omicron variant, Delhi recorded an all-time high positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14.

Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a senior consultant at a prominent Delhi hospital, said, “While it has been observed that many people have already stopped wearing masks, amid a fall in Covid cases, I would say it should have been done in a gradual manner.”

“Mask mandates should have remained in crowded public places like malls, markets, theatres etc. People are already fatigued, and not having a fine for not wearing a mask would mean many will not wear it, which is not good as Covid is still not out of this world,” he added.

The senior doctor, who has been on Covid duty since March 2020 is a Covid survivor himself. He sounded a note of caution for vulnerable sections and the elderly. “These people at least must continue to wear masks and adhere to all Covid safety norms,” he said.

The ministry of home affairs had decided to end all Covid containment measures from March 31. It was on March 24, 2020, that the central government issued these orders and guidelines under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, for the first time. These have been modified time and again, as per the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Dr Richa Sareen, a consultant at another Delhi-based hospital, said people with co-morbidities, ailments related to the lungs, or even those who got the infection in the past and survived with difficulty must continue to wear mask and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

“Yes, it’s been two years since the pandemic broke out, and people are tired and fatigued of wearing masks and other things that Covid has brought in, but the move by the government to do away with fine for not wearing face masks at public places was not a wise one as there is a threat of a fourth wave, I would say. People should take it with a pinch of salt,” she added.

In the last 24 hours, India has recorded 1,335 new infections, with total cases at 4,30,25,775. The total active caseload has reduced by 635 cases in this time span.

Active cases have dipped to 13,672, as per data updated by the health ministry on Friday. The death toll climbed to 5,21,181 with 52 fresh fatalities. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.22 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate is 0.23 per cent. The total number of Covid vaccinations administered, so far, has crossed 184.31 crore.

Situation in China

Since it contained the initial outbreak in Wuhan in 2020, China is struggling with a new wave of infections. Millions in northeastern China are under lockdown and authorities have imposed restrictions on business activities and cargo transport in major cities such as Shenzhen. More than two dozen regions have reported infections in the last few weeks, despite a tiny caseload by global standards. This has put pressure on China’s “dynamic-clearance” policy that aims to curb flare-ups quickly as they arise.

In the latest development, Shanghai put the vast majority of its residents under lockdown and expanded curbs to include the western half of the city and the east where people have already been forced to stay home since Monday. The Chinese commercial hub is home to 26 million people.

Many affected residents turned to social media and chat groups to discuss the new measures and many believed they were set to be locked in for longer.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also urged more effective measures and minimise the impact on economic development. “China should curb the momentum of the virus spread as soon as possible while sticking to the ‘dynamic-clearance’ policy,” Xi told a meeting of the standing committee of the Politburo, the ruling Communist Party’s top decision-making body.

(With PTI inputs)

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