Will Corona Cases Return as Delhi Lifts Mandatory Mask Rules In Public Places? Here’s What Experts Say

Delhi Corona Cases Latest Update: Some experts fear that the corona cases might return to the national capital if people don’t adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour.

Delhi Coronavirus Latest Update: Even as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority earlier in the day decided to end levying Rs 500 fine for not wearing mask at public places, experts fear that it is too early for the authorities to take such decision. They also fear that the corona cases might return to the national capital if people don’t adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour.

DDMA lifts mask mandate

With fresh Covid infection continues to fall in the capital city, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority earlier in the day decided to end levying Rs 500 fine for not wearing mask at public places.

“Though wearing of masks was useful in maintaining Covid Appropriate Behaviour, yet it was agreed that the order of compulsory wearing of masks under the Epidemic Act may not be extended beyond 30.09.2022. Hence a Fine of Rs 500 for not wearing of masks in public places would also stand withdrawn after 30.09.2022,” said the DDMA order.

Experts have mixed views

However, the experts had mixed views on the lifting of the mask mandate after September 30 in Delhi, with some saying the government could have waited for two months for the festive season to end, while others said people should voluntarily be allowed to discipline themselves.

Hospitals in the national capital are seeing mild Covid cases with most of the patients getting cured just through OPD consultation, while the hospitalisation rate is low even among the co-morbid patients.

Giving details to PTI, Dr Vikas Maurya, director and HOD of Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, said there are no new patients having severe Covid getting admitted. However, he said it is yet to be seen whether this trend continues in winter, since respiratory infections with viral illnesses increase during such weather conditions.

“It is expected that there will be an increase in all respiratory viral infections including Covid, flu, swine flu and others during winters,” he said.

Dr Sumit Ray, head of the critical care department at Holy Family Hospital, said the hospital has not had a single Covid-related death in the past four months.

“We have had hospitalisations mainly because of stress and anxiety and some have required oxygen but no one has required prolonged ventilatory support. In fact, we have had more severe cases of swine flu as compared to COVID-19 with quite a few requiring ventilator,” he said.

On the other hand, the doctors said that even globally, countries have dropped the mask mandate amid a decline in the cases of infection.

Niti Aayog member Dr V K Paul said surveillance was still needed as the virus is still present and its mutations and variants have emerged from time to time.

Corona cases:

Delhi on Wednesday reported 96 fresh Covid cases with a positivity rate of 1.42 per cent. No Covid-related fatality was reported, the department said in its latest bulletin.

The national capital had recorded 74 fresh Covid cases with a positivity rate of 1.07 per cent on Tuesday. On Monday, the capital reported one Covid-related fatality and 39 new cases with a positivity rate of 1.56 per cent. Delhi on Sunday logged 76 cases with a positivity rate of 1.12 per cent.

On Saturday, it saw 92 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 1.20 per cent, while it recorded 87 infections with a positivity rate of 1.19 per cent, and one fatality due to it on Friday.