Mask fines in Delhi may be dropped on Thursday

As of September 20 this year, 13,377,289 people in Delhi were eligible for the booster doses but only 3,149,246 doses were administered, said the minutes of an October 4 Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting

Over nine months after authorities in Delhi started administering precautionary doses of Covid-19 vaccines, just over 3.1 million people of 13.3 million eligible residents, or around 23%, in the city have taken their third shot, showed data from the state government, a lethargic rate of progress that has left officials concerned.

A large gathering at Sarojini Nagar market in Delhi. (HT Photo)

It has also been decided to do away with the ₹500 fine for not wearing masks in the city, said senior officials present at Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting. However, an official order ratifying this is likely to be issued only on Thursday.

“It was unanimously agreed that though wearing of masks was useful in maintaining Covid-appropriate behaviour, it was agreed that the order of compulsory wearing of masks under the Epidemic Act may not be extended beyond September 30. Hence, a fine of ₹500 for not wearing masks in public places would also stand withdrawn after September 30, 2022,” the minutes of the DDMA meeting read.

As of September 20 this year, 13,377,289 people in Delhi were eligible for the booster doses but only 3,149,246 doses were administered, said the minutes of an October 4 Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting undersigned by its special CEO, Sushil Singh.

“The booster coverage has been comparatively slower, but that has been the trend across all states. Delhi, in fact, is a little better off than the national average. We have directed our teams to reach out to people and encourage them to get their precautionary doses as soon as possible,” said a senior official in the Delhi health department. More than 80% eligible people across India are yet to take the precautionary dose.

Data presented by the health department at the meet showed that the city administered more than 37 million vaccine shots in all till September 20.

The numbers showed that 112% of Delhi’s eligible residents have taken the first shot and 96% have taken the second. The numbers are beyond 100% as residents from other cities, especially those in the National Capital Region (NCR), have taken their jabs in Delhi, officials have explained.

The official said, “The main reason behind the low intake of the booster doses is that the severity of Covid-19 is now very mild. Since the Omicron variant hit the city, the recovery period is also lower.”

Data also showed that 99% of the eligible population in the 15-18 years age category has taken the first dose of the vaccine and 86% have taken the second dose. The national average for this age cohort is 84% for the first dose and 71% for the second dose.

In the meeting, the health department said that no cases of the BA.4 variant of Covid-19 have been detected in Delhi yet, health officials confirmed.

“BA.2 and its sub-variants have been dominant in the Capital since May this year, followed by BA.5. Despite being more transmissible as compared to the previous variants, there is no proof of these strains causing more severe infections,” said a senior scientist at Delhi’s Lok Nayak Hospital.

It was also decided that in the wake of the declining Covid-19 cases in the Capital, three Covid Care Centres operating in the city will be shut down and the plots handed back to the organisations concerned.