As Covid cases rise, Punjab govt advises public to wear face masks again

Several states, including Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have already brought back the mask mandate amid an uptick in daily infections in the country.

More than a month after all Covid-related curbs were lifted in Punjab, the state government on Thursday issued an order, asking people to once again start wearing masks, particularly in public places. “In view of increasing number of COVID cases in some of the States and UTs, all the residents of the State of Punjab are hereby advised to wear face masks at the crowded places,” reported news agency ANI, citing a Punjab home department order.

Face mask mandate has made a return in several states (PTI/Image used only for representation)

“Wearing of masks should be specially ensured in the closed environments like: public transports (buses, trains, aircraft, taxi etc.), cinema halls, shopping malls, departmental stores etc., classrooms, office-rooms, indoor gatherings etc.” the order, signed by Punjab home secretary Anurag Verma, further said.

The border state removed all its Covid restrictions on March 15.

Wednesday’s order, meanwhile, came amid an uptick in the country’s daily Covid cases, which has prompted state governments to bring back some restrictions, including the mask mandate. Many of Punjab’s neighbouring states, like Delhi and Haryana, have once again made face masks mandatory. In Uttar Pradesh, too, masks have been made compulsory in seven places, including capital Lucknow, and six of the state's districts in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Delhi reported as many as 1,009 fresh infections on Wednesday, up from 632 on April 19.

Punjab, on the other hand, logged 30 new cases a day ago while its daily toll stood at zero. The state’s cumulative infection tally is at 759,334 including 741,478 recoveries, 17,743 deaths and 113 active cases.