Continue wearing mask in crowded places, especially people in vulnerable category: Experts

People must continue to use masks in busy areas, especially pregnant women and the elderly, experts said on Thursday, hours after the Delhi government lifted the Rs 500 fine for not wearing them in public places.

Doctors at the city's top government and private hospitals agreed that people should exercise "extra caution" because, while cases in Delhi are low, a new variant of COVID-19 that is highly communicable is being reported.

"It is a festive season and people will ge together, socialise at workplace and at homes. Though the fine for not wearing mask has been lifted, I would still say that people should wear it in open and crowded places, during meetings in enclosed rooms, if not at homes.


"More than laws, we need self-discipline, as we have all learned a lot in these two years," said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Apollo Hospital.

According to the doctor, air quality in Delhi has decreased, and a mask can protect against a variety of other pollution-related infections. On Thursday, the Delhi government issued an order removing the Rs 500 fine for not wearing a mask in public locations in the country's capital.

Following a drop in COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) decided last month to discontinue levying the penalty after September 30. The authority noted in its meeting on September 22 that the positivity rate for COVID-19 infection has decreased significantly and that the majority of the population has been vaccinated.

According to health department data, 107 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Wednesday, with a positivity rate of 1.64 percent. The positivity rate on Tuesday was 2.04%, down from 3.61 percent on Monday, 1.59 percent on Sunday, 2.12 percent on Saturday, and 1.75 percent on Friday. The total number of active cases is now 488. During the third wave of the pandemic, the number of daily cases in the city reached a record high of 28,867 on January 13.

Dr Richa Sareen, consultant of pulmonology at Fortis Hospital said, "We have to be cautious since a new variant is being reported. People who are vulnerable to such infection such as pregnant women and the elderly should continue to wear mask in public places, fine or no fine".

"Also, we all need to be extra cautious because a new variant of COVID-19 is being reported, which is very transmissible. Though cases in Delhi are on the lower side, the fine for not wearing a mask in public places being lifted should not push us into a zone of false sense of security that 'everything is fine'. Having said that, we should not panic either," she said.

According to Chatterjee of Apollo Hospital, a person who is not wearing a mask is also at risk of contracting many other respiratory infections if they are standing next to someone who has any of these infections. As a result, he suggests wearing a mask. The DDMA's meeting last month emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant against Covid in light of the upcoming festivals.

Some experts suggested that the government could have waited two months for the holiday season to end, while others suggested that people should be allowed to discipline themselves voluntarily. Diwali is celebrated on October 24, followed by the Chhath festival a few days later and Christmas in December.