Hyderabad: People taking Covid lightly despite surge

Hyderabad: Even as the State government is mulling over clamping mpose restrictions following a surge in coronavirus cases across the State, people remain undeterred by the news of spike in cases.

Denizens can be seen enjoying the summer and completely shunning the Covid safety norms such as wearing masks and observing physical distance. They feel that since vaccines have been introduced, there is no need for caution as before.

On the first working day of the week, hordes of people were seen without face masks, let alone adhering to social distancing norms at shopping malls, bazaars, restaurants, supermarkets and cinema halls, such other public places. One of the customers at Brand Factory in Abids, Pradeep Kumar,said, "now that the Covid-19 vaccine has been developed, citizens are being asked to get a vaccine, I feel that it is not necessary to wear a face mask or maintain distance."

Moreover, none among shoppers or people on streets appear to be caring about precautionary measures like use of sanitisers, donning face masks or maintaining physical distancing.

When The Hans India reporters visited some places, the marks and circles on the floors which were drawn after reopening of all commercial establishments were nowhere to be seen. It was also noticed that at some stores there were empty sanitiser bottles. Even at some government offices and police stations, there were no functional disinfection tunnels and police personnel at the stations were not taking the wearing of face masks that seriously. Moderate rush is being witnessed at bus stops, hotels, cinema halls and on eateries. Few with face masks and rest with no face mask, they feel that now that the vaccine has been introduced why to use face mask then. Though the health department has been urging people to wear face masks and maintain social distance even after taking vaccines. All small and big hotels were seen teeming with customers hobnobbing with one another.

"We are regularly checking temperature of whoever visit cinema halls person and urging them to wear a face mask and even sanitizers bottles have been kept, but after entering into the cinema halls people are taking off their masks and now there is no social distancing as theatres are allowing 100 per cent occupation of the seats," said the manager of a popular multiplex in the city.

"As everything came back to normal after the lockdown and we got the vaccine for the virus, we feel that wearing a face mask and following social distancing is not much important now," said passenger G Dinesh at JBS bus station.

Director Public Health Department (DPH) Dr G. Srinivas Rao says, "If someone who is yet to be vaccinated and exposed to Covid, they could spread the virus to others, even if they don't show any symptoms. Immunity after infection isn't perfect. Even if someone had Covid, they should still get vaccinated."He urged those who showed any symptoms to get tested at the nearest government testing centre.They can now call the helpline number 040-24651119 to enquire about the location of the Covid-19 mobile testing van facility nearby," he added.