Is India Rushing To Ease COVID Restrictions? Experts Not Pleased With This Move

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Is India Rushing To Ease COVID Restrictions? Experts Not Pleased With This Move

The DDMA has removed the mask mandate in Delhi, but experts are not pleased. Experts claim the decision was not a wise move, claiming it should have been made gradually and not in such haste.

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The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) reported that there would be no fines for not wearing a face mask in the national capital. The decision has been executed, as the city has seen a steady decrease in COVID-19 infection cases in recent weeks. The DDMA officials said at a press conference chaired by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal, "There will be no fine now for not wearing face masks in public places given a significant decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the national capital," as per reported by The Health site.

The majority of the restrictions in the national capital have already been relaxed as a result of the consistent drop in COVID cases over the last few weeks. However, the DDMA has stated that residents of the city should continue to wear face masks in crowded places as a precautionary measure.

The decision comes when there has been an unexpected increase in COVID cases worldwide. As the deadly BA.2 variant of Omicron sweeps through the countries, China, South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom are battling the fatal coronavirus surge. The BA.2 variant, also known as the Stealth Omicron, is the current variant of concern, causing a rise in cases worldwide. It is known for carrying over 32 mutations in its spike protein. But a question arises: in the middle, where other countries are battling the spike of COVID, is India prepared to be a 'no mask' country, where the national capital Delhi has been a central hotspot.

Experts' View On Removing COVID Restrictions

The DDMA has removed the mask mandate in Delhi, but experts are not pleased. Experts claim the decision was not a wise move, claiming it should have been made gradually and not in such haste. While the number of cases has significantly decreased, doctors at leading hospitals in Delhi agreed that COVID exists globally, as the experts cautioned that the people in the vulnerable group (those with autoimmune diseases or other underlying health complications) should continue to practise all COVID-appropriate behaviours.

"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, and 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 a good thing as Covid is still not out of this world," said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a senior consultant at Apollo hospital, who expressed concern about lifting the COVID restrictions.

Also Read: Overlooked Personalities: How Surayya Tyabji Finalised The Design Of Indian National Flag?

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