Doctors and epidemiologists have opined that Maharashtra government needs to stop congestion in local trains and other gatherings if they want the Covid-19 infection chain to break.
According to a report by Times of India, experts also said that night curfews and weekend lockdown will only prove to be partially effective if gatherings are not stopped.
Speaking to TOI, infectious disease expert Dr Om Srivastava backed the thought of curtailing local train timings, while hailing the decision to impose night curfew. “Post-8pm, trains shouldn’t run at all probably or with lesser frequency. The curbs during the daytime have to be enforced strictly if we want to see any results,” he said.
The Maharashtra Cabinet, on Sunday met amid an unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases in both Mumbai and across the state to discuss the possibility of a lockdown, may have decided against it but the authorities have put severe restrictions in place that are similar to when the country came to a standstill last year when the pandemic broke.
Termed as ‘Break the Chain Restrictions’, these curbs will remain in place till April 30.
The restrictions include prohibition on assembly of more than five people during the day, night curfew daily from 8pm to 7am, closing of malls, religious places and shops selling non-essentials. The number of people who can travel in autos, taxis and buses have also been reduced.
Dr Subhash Salunkhe, adviser to the state government, said the government had to find a balance between life and livelihood.
“People would not have supported a lockdown. Even these measures are being protested,” he said, emphasising that implementation would be the key.
The report by TOI quotes epidemiologist Giridhara Babu saying, what is required most is the prevention of clusters in enclosed spaces. “Where people are working in close spaces without masks, this is the time to allow them to work from home,” he said
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