Most people going easy on wearing masks, says survey

Bengaluru: Since India is witnessing a drop in Covid-19 cases, most of the States including Delhi, Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana have done away with the mandatory use of masks. Karnataka may also be making the usage of masks optional soon.

The mask rule may soon be relaxed in Karnataka but only after seeking advice from the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), said Health Minister Dr K. Sudhakar on Monday. Although there has been no official rule yet, majority of the people can be seen without masks in various regions. The government hasn't been collecting fines ever since the decline of Covid-19 cases in Karnataka.

A survey conducted by LocalCircles, a social media platform, revealed that 9 out of 10 Indians now say that most of the people in their area/city/district either do not wear a mask at all, or are not wearing it properly. 57% of the citizens said, "Most have a mask but don't wear it properly" and 22% said, "Most have a mask but don't wear it at all". Only 7% of citizens said, "Most have a mask and wear it properly."

"As most States aren't enforcing the mandatory use of masks rule, it has led to low compliance levels. Only 6% of Indians state that mask compliance is effective in their area/district/city," states the survey. Even though professionals suggest the use of N-95, KN-95, or W-95 masks, 62% of Indians prefer using cloth masks which provides limited protection from Covid-19. The survey received more than 30,000 responses from citizens residing in 349 districts of India.

"A lot of people aren't wearing masks or using sanitizers these days. Covid-19 cases seem to be increasing as 38 cases have been added up in Karnataka today. Before the arrival of the fourth wave which can put India at a huge risk, and the new mutations emerging in different countries, people should realise the importance of masks and this should be a norm rather than just an option," says Shreedhar B.H, a respondent.

The government may make this optional, but our health lies in our hands. "There are places in the city where masks are still mandatory. Public places like metro stations insist on wearing masks, it is necessary to understand why these rules are made and follow them without any external pressure," says Riya Sharma, another socially-conscious citizen.