Delhi: Masks back in city as Covid cases spike, schools to stay open
Most experts see a direct correlation between the removal of the mask mandate, on April 2, and the increase in cases. On April 2, when the mandate was removed, Delhi was seeing 105 daily cases on average (seven-day average). On Wednesday, when it was reintroduced, the corresponding number was 544.
Masks will be mandatory for people in public spaces, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority decided on Wednesday, bringing back a ₹500 fine for violators and announcing a host of other measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 after weeks of a small but sustained increase in new infections.
Schools will not be shut, officials aware of the decisions taken at the meeting said, but there will now be aggressive random testing at public places that was wound down when the cases dropped to their lowest levels in two years last month.
“Enforcing Covid-19 appropriate behaviour (CAB) was talked about at length and all district teams and police officials have been directed to once again start compliance drives in their areas of jurisdiction. Wearing face masks in public spaces will be mandatory and violating the rule will attract a fine of ₹500,” said a senior member of the DDMA, asking not to be named.
An order confirming these steps was likely to be issued on Thursday.
On Tuesday, 632 Covid-19 cases were reported in Delhi. But there were no deaths or hospitalisations. This number was 1,009 on Wednesday. In the past week, the case curve (seven-day average of daily cases) has grown 185%, compared to 14% in the first week of April. But 99% of the Covid beds in hospitals continue to remain unoccupied.
Most experts see a direct correlation between the removal of the mask mandate, on April 2, and the increase in cases. On April 2, when the mandate was removed, Delhi was seeing 105 daily cases on average (seven-day average). On Wednesday, when it was reintroduced, the corresponding number was 544.
“We have to be careful with the message we are sending out with mask usage because since the relaxation of the mask mandate we have been seeing an increase in Covid cases. The pandemic is not over yet and we need to continue to act with caution. Governments also need to monitor the situation closely,” said Dr JA Jayalal, former head of the Indian Medical Association.
The uptick prompted other adjoining states to take similar measures. Masks have been made mandatory in Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad.
The rate of hospital admission and deaths has remained flat, indicating the situation is far from being worrying, but experts have advised preparedness and infection surveillance to be maintained. Wearing a mask, they have said, should remain as one of the compulsory directives since these are simple, inexpensive tools with significant infection control potential.They also believe that with adequate emphasis on masks, and on ventilation in closed spaces, pretty much everything can go on the way it used to before the pandemic, and that there is no need to rush into measures such as closure of schools.
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Dr Krishnan Chugh, director and head of the department of paediatrics at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute said: “Schools can remain open because children have been trapped inside their homes for nearly two years now and this has a greater psychological impact. I think the government needs to stress on mask usage for the maximum period in schools. Wearing it all the time will not be possible but for as long as they can, it must be encouraged. Children with comorbid conditions can be allowed to take offline classes, at least till the current spike subsides”.
The Delhi government dropped the fine on not wearing face masks in public on April 2. On April 18, HT reported that the rule on making face masks mandatory is likely to return in Delhi.
DDMA also discussed data on Covid-19 cases among students and teachers from all schools in Delhi and decided not to stop physical classes. “Schools will not to be closed as of now. A set of standard operating procedure (SOP) will now be prepared for schools for better management and prevention of Covid-19 cases in educational institutions. This SOP will be prepared in consultation with experts. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has already reviewed the first draft and is closely monitoring this. The SOP will have to be advertised properly in all schools and educational institutions,” said a second senior official who was present in the meeting.
Around the world, data shows that children below 12 (currently not eligible for vaccines) are unlikely to suffer symptomatic infections, and even more unlikely to require hospitalisation.
Officials said Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the chairperson of the DDMA, directed authorities to restart aggressive testing. Over the past few weeks, testing in Delhi has been abysmally low. On April 17, HT reported that the number of tests will pick up post the DDMA meeting as district administrations will restart random testing at nodes of high human interaction such as railway stations, markets, metro stations and so on.
In the current month (April), Delhi conducted merely 11,396 Covid-19 tests every day on an average. The last time numbers were this low was in June, 2020. Through 2021, when the city was hit by two Covid-19 waves, the range of average daily Covid-19 tests was between 49,592 and 85,871. The dip began this year, dropping from an average of over 70,000 in January to the levels at present as the pandemic receded on the back of large population immunity from vaccination and past infection. The low and focused testing was also responsible for the higher positivity rates in the capital -- which caused alarm in certain quarters, although the metric is particularly irrelevant when it comes to an infectious, but largely non-fatal variant such as Omicron.
The L-G also directed that all Covid-19 positive samples be sent for genome sequencing. “The L-G expressed concern over the rising cases. He said there is a need to keep a close watch since some variants may be more transmissible. Trends of hospitalisation will also be closely watched for the next fortnight. Attention will be given on people with comorbidities,” said an official from the LG’s office.
According to a presentation made to the meeting, all samples sequenced by Delhi government-linked labs in the month of March were of the Omicron variant and its sub-lineages.
A spokesperson from chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office said the CM is closely monitoring the situation and proper instruction has been issued. “The CM has asked district teams to keep a close watch on social gatherings. He said we have to be concerned about the situation, but ghabraane ki jaroorat nahi hai (there is no need to panic),” he said.
(With inputs from Soumya Pillai)
