News Analysis India

Tag: COVID restrictions

  • Too early to do away with COVID face masks, but onus on public: Experts

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Even though some states have decided to stop penalising people for not wearing masks as COVID-19 cases continue to drop, healthcare experts are of the opinon that it is too early to completely do away with the restriction.

    They have advised people to voluntarily mask up in order to also stay protected from infections such as influenza and swine-flu, apart from coronavirus.

    The Maharashtra and Delhi governments recently decided to ease the restriction on the compulsory wearing of face masks in public, a norm that was in place for two years and its violation attracted a fine of Rs 2,000.

    Reacting to the development, renowned virologist T Jacob John said since the pandemic is “over” in India, the use of mask is no longer needed to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The mask mandate has lived its time and there is no longer justification for its continuation as “mandate”.

    But it is a good idea to promote the voluntary wearing of masks in public places to reduce inhalation of dust and other respiratory transmitted agents, including TB bacilli, flu virus, other respiratory viruses like syncytial virus, adenovirus, common cold viruses etc, he said.

    “It is a habit that will reduce diseases. Currently, we see kidney transplant patients wearing masks; everyone will benefit — in buses, trains, aeroplanes etc,” John, the former director of the Indian Council for Medical Research’s Centre of Advanced Research in Virology, told PTI.

    ALSO READ| India sailed through Omicron wave because of vaccination: Mansukh Mandaviya

    “My personal opinion is that there ought to be active promotion of mask-wearing in all hospital premises, in outpatient clinics and all queues and waiting areas. There I am not averse to even a mandate. For staff and patients, relatives, visitors etc,” John added.

    Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, Additional Director and Head of the Department – Pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, said mask should continue to be mandatory and it is premature to give up this habit completely.

    “The disastrous second wave, that took many young lives across the world, was something that the modern world had not seen before. People had become a little complacent after the first wave and that probably lead to an unchecked rise in fatal cases. Though it is true that majority of susceptible Indians are vaccinated, what we must keep in mind is that vaccine doesn’t protect us against infection. Even if the infection is not fatal, it keeps you weak for many months,” he said.

    “We all know about the long COVID. Therefore, it is best to not get infected. So far, science has proved that masks are the only major contributors to preventing infection,” Jha told PTI.

    Another important consideration here is that though COVID-19 has probably weakened, the country saw a reduction in the number of swine flu cases due to masks and sanitation practices. “Swine flu is more fatal than Covid and the combination called flurona can also be prevented by this. Therefore, in my opinion, masks must not be taken out of fashion…too early,” he noted.

    Dr Akshay Budhraja, senior pulmonologist, Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital, said it is time to stop swinging between restriction and normalcy. “We must learn to live with coronavirus like the same way we live with other viruses such as influenza and adenovirus among others. Masks should not be mandatory for the general population, but recommended for those who are sick or who have any kind of immunosuppressive illness, visiting crowded closed places with poor ventilation or when visiting a healthcare facility like hospitals or clinics,” he said.

    ALSO READ| Nagaland government lifts all COVID restrictions, face masks rule to continue

    “At the same time, we need to stay cautious and follow the latest recommendations which may change from time to time in the coming months, as per the statistics. Now that everyone is aware enough on when to wear a mask, we must take responsibility ourselves in coming times,” he said.

    Dr Arunesh Kumar, HOD & Senior Consultant, Pulmonology, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram, said there has been a rise in COVID-19 cases in west as well as in China.

    “Masking is the second-most effective intervention after vaccination when it comes to preventing new COVID infection. We are still not there with our double vaccine recipient numbers where herd immunity will be attained. New infections invite virus mutation. With a population as large as ours, it may prove a costly move as people will definitely find a reason not to put a mask on as a major deterrent has been removed,” he said.

    Advocating for unlocking but not unmasking, Kumar said the mask has also proved useful in preventing other infections like tuberculosis as well as allergic problems from dust and pollen, “which is a big problem in Delhi-National Capital Region”.

    “I urge people to consider masking up on a voluntary basis when out and about to help the country fight COVID infection effectively,” he added.

  • India sees creepy-crawly rate of COVID-related hospitalisations

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW/BHOPAL/CHANDIGARH/JAIPUR: As the third wave of COVID-19 powered by the Omicron variant sends numbers soaring across India, data from government hospitals of the states reveal interesting trends.

    In Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, bed occupancy in hospitals and COVID care centres has increased. Hospitalisation has gone up also in Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar and Gujarat. Weekend and night curfews are in force, the fear is rising.

    Metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru are witnessing a rapid rise in cases and restrictions. There is a feeling that health infrastructure in these places is in for another serious challenge.

    However, percentage of active cases admitted to hospitals has decreased in many parts. In Bihar, it has dipped from 47.72 per cent to 1.9 per cent in about a week. While over 65 per cent of active cases were being treated in hospitals in Rajasthan on December 29, it came down to 2.37 per cent on January 6. Experts believe vaccination has played a part in lowering hospitalisation.

    In keeping with the Union Health Ministry’s recent advise, more and more patients with mild symptoms are in home quarantine. In Maharashtra, where authorities are contemplating a lockdown in mid-January, home isolation went up from about 1.22 lakh on December 25 to 5.85 lakh on January 6. Hospitalisations rose from 905 to 1,368 in this period.

    Delhi has seen cases skyrocket. But hospitalisation rate compared to the number of active cases has decreased, from 6.6 per cent on January 1 to 4.81 per cent to January 7. According to Dr Suresh Kumar, director of Lok Nayak Hospital, mostly those with comorbidities and not vaccinated are getting admitted. “Cases are mild so far and not many patients have required oxygen support,” he said.

    In Uttar Pradesh, the current surge is faster than the second wave but hospitalisation is not that high. “Health department data show the rate of hospitalisation during the second wave was 9 per cent. It’s about 2 per cent now” said a heath department official.

    In Madhya Pradesh, hospitalisation rose by 174 per cent between December 29 and January 6. But this could be misleading, considering that active cases shot up by 706 per cent in this period. On January 6, of the 56,171 hospital beds for COVID patients, 200 (0.36 per cent) were occupied.

    According to Indore-based chest physician Ravi Dosi, there is a marked difference between the second and third waves. “Just 3-5 per cent needed hospitalisation. Of those, only around 1 per cent were on oxygen or other critical care support. In the initial phases of the second wave, almost 30-40 per cent needed oxygen and other support,” he said.

    Cases are soaring in Punjab, but hospitalisation rate with respect to active cases came down from over 6 per cent on December 30 to 1.01 per cent on January 6. The state government had increased bed capacity fearing for worse, but only about 1 per cent of them are occupied.

    “If patients do not require oxygen, we ask them to be in home isolation. We hardly have beds without oxygen. Bed occupancy is low at present but beds have been added keeping in mind the projected caseload,” said Punjab’s COVID-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar.

    Despite a spike in numbers, Rajasthan has seen a drastic fall in hospitalisation. Dr Rateesh Sareen, Consultant, Pathology, and Deputy Director Legal at Jaipur’s Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital, believes Omicron is following the trend noticed in South Africa, UK and US.

    “It’s more contagious but what’s assuring is that ICU admission, oxygen-bed occupancy and hospitalisation have been less so far compared to previous waves. Most are in home isolation,” he said.

    {With inputs from Ramashankar (Patna), Sudhir Suryawanshi (Mumbai), Ejaz Kaiser (Raipur), Pranab Mondal (Kolkata), Dilip Singh Kshatriya (Ahmedabad), Vineet Upadhyay (Dehradun), Anuraag Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Harpreet Bajwa (Punjab and Haryana) and Rajesh Asnani (Rajasthan)}

  • Restrictions lifted, fully vaccinated passengers from India to travel USA

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Aditya Garg headed to San Francisco in the early hours of Monday, relieved that he could finally get back to work with the US government lifting restrictions for international travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid.

    The young man from Jaipur, who works for a California-based electric vehicle company, was among the several people at the Delhi airport on Monday morning anxious to get to the US and boarding the first flight out they could.

    The coronavirus pandemic had prompted the US to close its borders to international travellers from many countries, including India, last year.

    Later, only passengers holding visas belonging to certain categories were permitted to travel.

    Starting today, November 8, the US has lifted all restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers, including from India, but they will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight to the country.

    Garg, who took a United Airlines flight scheduled to depart at 4:30 am, said he had last travelled to the US before the pandemic induced lockdown in March last year.

    “I work and stay in Bay Area. It’s a relief that after such a long time I am able to fly to the US as American authorities have eased restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers. Of course, we still have to take all precautions,” he told PTI before entering the international departure lounge.

    Pritam Deshwal is also a US-based professional but was unable to travel from India due to restrictions.

    The airport designer, who took an Air India flight to the US, said, “I am based in New York, and the further lifting of restrictions on travellers will certainly help in getting reconnected to our offices and places, literally.”

    Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, most companies and institutions had allowed employees to work from home with digital technology playing a big role in helping colleagues stay connected in a ‘new normal’ scenario.

    Many US-bound passengers, including women, said their vaccination status had boosted their confidence.

    “I am taking my first international flight after the outbreak of the pandemic. I am feeling fine,” said a woman passenger who did not wish to be named. Among those who took flights out to the US were the Vij brothers, who are based in Miami.

    “I am a US citizen, so, there was no restriction for me as such, but I am glad more people can fly now to the US,” said Siddhant Vij, who took a Qatar Airways flight with his brother Shivek.

    American business executive Brad Nuss, who lives in Minnesota, flew to his home country on Monday and hoped that a sense of normalcy in international travel will return soon.

    “The pandemic has changed our world and the way we see it and interact with others. And, with vaccination picking up in India and elsewhere, and US further lifting travel restrictions, I feel it’s a sign of things slowly getting back to normal in a way,” Nuss told PTI before boarding a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight.

    At the airport, as family members bid goodbye to each other, many were overcome by emotion as they hugged, some taking the mandatory selfie to mark the occasion.

    The White House late last month said the US will lift all travel restrictions for incoming non-citizens and non-immigrant travellers from November 8, with only limited exceptions.

    They will be required to be fully vaccinated and produce proof of their COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding a flight to the country.

    Passengers will need to show their vaccination status, and the airlines will need to match the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination, according to an official statement issued earlier.

    Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    But special international flights have been operating under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with approximately 28 countries since July 2020.

    Under an air bubble pact between two countries, limited special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories with certain restrictions.

  • Restrictions lifted, fully vaccinated passengers from India can travel to US

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Aditya Garg headed to San Francisco in the early hours of Monday, relieved that he could finally get back to work with the US government lifting restrictions for international travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid.

    The young man from Jaipur, who works for a California-based electric vehicle company, was among the several people at the Delhi airport on Monday morning anxious to get to the US and boarding the first flight out they could.

    The coronavirus pandemic had prompted the US to close its borders to international travellers from many countries, including India, last year.

    Later, only passengers holding visas belonging to certain categories were permitted to travel.

    Starting today, November 8, the US has lifted all restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers, including from India, but they will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight to the country.

    Garg, who took a United Airlines flight scheduled to depart at 4:30 am, said he had last travelled to the US before the pandemic induced lockdown in March last year.

    “I work and stay in Bay Area. It’s a relief that after such a long time I am able to fly to the US as American authorities have eased restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers. Of course, we still have to take all precautions,” he told PTI before entering the international departure lounge.

    Pritam Deshwal is also a US-based professional but was unable to travel from India due to restrictions.

    The airport designer, who took an Air India flight to the US, said, “I am based in New York, and the further lifting of restrictions on travellers will certainly help in getting reconnected to our offices and places, literally.”

    Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, most companies and institutions had allowed employees to work from home with digital technology playing a big role in helping colleagues stay connected in a ‘new normal’ scenario.

    Many US-bound passengers, including women, said their vaccination status had boosted their confidence.

    “I am taking my first international flight after the outbreak of the pandemic. I am feeling fine,” said a woman passenger who did not wish to be named. Among those who took flights out to the US were the Vij brothers, who are based in Miami.

    “I am a US citizen, so, there was no restriction for me as such, but I am glad more people can fly now to the US,” said Siddhant Vij, who took a Qatar Airways flight with his brother Shivek.

    American business executive Brad Nuss, who lives in Minnesota, flew to his home country on Monday and hoped that a sense of normalcy in international travel will return soon.

    “The pandemic has changed our world and the way we see it and interact with others. And, with vaccination picking up in India and elsewhere, and US further lifting travel restrictions, I feel it’s a sign of things slowly getting back to normal in a way,” Nuss told PTI before boarding a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight.

    At the airport, as family members bid goodbye to each other, many were overcome by emotion as they hugged, some taking the mandatory selfie to mark the occasion.

    The White House late last month said the US will lift all travel restrictions for incoming non-citizens and non-immigrant travellers from November 8, with only limited exceptions.

    They will be required to be fully vaccinated and produce proof of their COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding a flight to the country.

    Passengers will need to show their vaccination status, and the airlines will need to match the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination, according to an official statement issued earlier.

    Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    But special international flights have been operating under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with approximately 28 countries since July 2020.

    Under an air bubble pact between two countries, limited special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories with certain restrictions.

  • Goa to withdraw most travel curbs from Nov 1

    By Express News Service

    BELAGAVI: The tourism industry Goa which was badly hit owing to Covid-19 and the long-drawn restrictions, is finally all set to welcome tourists with lesser restrictions. The government has planned to withdraw most of the restrictions to revive the tourism sector in the state from November 1.

    According to sources, the Goa government is keen to allow tourists without much hassles. The government is expected to initiate several measures to boost tourism in the state which was badly hampered due to the pandemic for the last one year. As a result of stringent curbs on travel and entry of people from other areas into Goa, it was possible to prevent the spread of virus in Goa effectively. The government also intensified vaccination and Covid testing during the last several months to bring the cases down.

    People entering Goa from various borders from other states will have to produce RT-PCR negative reports or double dose vaccination certificate. A team of officials have been screening the visitors at all the check posts in the border for the past one year. With Goa’s plan to allow outside tourists, the coastal state is expected to witness a huge footfall, particularly from the neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra states.

  • Focus on the five-fold strategy, ensure no large gathering during festival season: MHA to states 

    The total number of active cases and high case positivity in some districts continue to remain a matter of concern, MHA told the chief secretaries of all states and UTs.

  • Pandemic restrictions: Bombay HC permits Muharram procession with conditions 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday permitted procession and rituals to be taken out by the Shia Muslim community for Muharram, but with certain conditions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    A division bench of Justices K K Tated and P K Chavan said in addition to compliance of COVID-19 protocols, the procession, scheduled to be held for three hours on August 20, will have to be limited to seven trucks with 15 persons in each vehicle.

    The court further stated that only people who have taken both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and have completed 14 days since the last dose, will be permitted on the trucks.

    “Five Taziyas will be allowed to be taken. Of 105 persons, only 25 will be allowed to go inside the cemetery,” the court said.

    The order was passed on a petition filed by city-based NGO All India Idara Tahfaz-e-Hussainiyat that sought permission from the court to take out processions and perform rituals during Muharram, as the Maharashtra government has relaxed the conditions imposed in the city.

    The petitioner sought permission for 1,000 people to participate in the procession from August 18 to 20 for two hours each day.

    Appearing for the petitioner, senior counsel Rajendra Shirodkar informed the court that taking out a Taziya, which is a replica of a mausoleum of Imam Husain, and setting up Sabeels, stalls for food and water, was an intrinsic part of the Shia faith, without which Muharram rituals would be incomplete.

    Government pleader Purnima Kantharia, however, opposed the petition, and argued that controlling a crowd, especially in a religious procession, becomes difficult.

    When the court pointed out that there had been significant relaxations with hotels, malls and shops being allowed to open, Kantharia said those had come step by step.

    The bench, while permitting the procession, suggested that the petitioner ensure that each truck has some senior member of the community to keep the crowd under control and to make sure people are following the COVID-19 protocols.

  • COVID restrictions in Pune should be eased, says BJP leader Fadnavis

    By PTI

    PUNE: Restrictions on account of the COVID-19 pandemic in Pune should be relaxed as they are affecting businesses and commerce, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said here on Saturday.

    The trader community in the city and even employees of shopping malls have been demanding that shops and other establishments be allowed to remain open till 8 pm instead of 4 pm.

    “There should be strict restrictions in the cities where the infection positivity rate is above five per cent. But for the last one month, Pune’s positivity rate is below five per cent. The state government should relax restrictions. Businesses are already suffering losses,” the former chief minister told reporters here.

    Fadnavis, who visited the ongoing Metro construction work in the city, said around 60 per cent work has been completed.

    “Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) work is a critical part of a Metro project. Pune metro has completed almost 100 per cent of three TBM works. I am hopeful that soon the entire work will be finished in time,” he said.

    On Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar flagging off a trial run of the Kothrud corridor of Metro, Fadnavis said he had no objection to that as Pawar is deputy CM and guardian minister of Pune.

    “But I hope that the inauguration of Pune Metro would take place at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I am confident that Pawar will agree with me,” he said.

    The Pune Municipal Corporation has proposed a Neo Metro project too, Fadnavis said.

    “We can get around 80 per cent of funding for the project from the Union government. The PMC should send a proposal to the state government. We will secure funding from the Centre,” he said.

    About reports that Chandrakant Patil would be removed as state BJP chief, Fadnavis said these were baseless rumors and the party was happy with Patil’s work.

  • Illegal to restrain unvaccinated people from earning livelihood: Manipur HC

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The Manipur High Court has held that restraining people, who are yet to get jabbed, from earning a livelihood is an illegal act of the State.

    “Restraining people, who are yet to get vaccinated from opening institutions, organizations, factories, shops, etc., or denying them their livelihood by linking their employment, be it NREGA job cardholders or workers in government or private projects, to their getting vaccinated would be illegal on the part of the State, if not unconstitutional,” a two-judge bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Kh. Nobin Singh ruled.

    Such a measure would also trample upon the freedom of an individual to get vaccinated or choose not to do so, the bench said.

    The court was hearing a PIL that challenged a notification of the state’s Home Department which said the government proposed to relax curfew/containment zone orders in the future in a calibrated manner by assessing the Covid infection scenario.

    The notification said while opening up, the government, without compromising public health safety, considered it prudent to prioritize opening of institutions, organizations, factories, shops, markets, private offices, etc., where employees and workers were Covid vaccinated. The government further stated that this would also apply to NREGA job cardholders and workers of government/private projects.

    ALSO READ | To promote Covid vaccination, Manipur insurgent group announces cash rewards

    The court, however, observed that the “prescriptions” appeared to make vaccination mandatory as they favour those who are vaccinated, not only in terms of prioritizing the opening up of their institutions, organizations, etc. but also by linking vaccination as a condition precedent for employment of NREGA job cardholders and workers in government and private projects.

    “…The objective of the government is to ensure a degree of immunity in the people, at least to the extent of preventing dire consequences, if infected. However, the ground reality is that there is abounding ignorance amongst the people as to the side effects, if any, of the vaccination and in consequence, apprehensions of the risks that may ensue upon being vaccinated,” the court said.

    It further said that it is for the state government to dispel such fears by educating people on the advantages of vaccination and erase their apprehension on the adverse consequences of getting vaccinated.

    “Without addressing this issue, the State cannot seek to impose conditions upon the citizens so as to compel them to get vaccinated, be it by holding out a threat or by putting them at a disadvantage for failing to get vaccinated,” the court said.

    Additional Advocate General, who represented the state government, told the court the impugned notification was merely an expression of intention by the government on what it proposed to do once relaxation of curfew/containment zone orders are resorted to.

  • COVID-19: Last warning, follow rules, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray tells hotels, restaurants

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday ordered hotels and restaurants in the state to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in their premises and not force the state to enforce drastic measures like lockdown.

    Speaking at a virtual meeting attended by representatives of hotel and restaurant associations, shopping centre groups, the CM said a “lackadaisical” attitude towards outbreak norms had crept in lately.

    “Do not force us to impose a strict lockdown. Consider this as the last warning. Follow all the rules. Everyone has to realise there is a difference between self-discipline and restrictions,” Thackeray said.

    The CM pointed out that crowds had increased in most places since activities resumed in a phased manner from October, and safety rules were not being followed and this had resulted in a steep surge in cases.

    Incidentally, Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 15,602 COVID-19 cases and 88 deaths, taking the tally to 22,97,793 and the toll to 52,811.

    “Last week, a Central team visited Mumbai and one of the members told me no one was wearing masks or following social distancing at a hotel they visited. Initially, hotels, restaurants were adhering strictly to COVID-19 norms, but now everyone has become lackadaisical,” he said.

    He said his government was not in favour of a lockdown to tackle the latest surge and asked people to cooperate to avoid having to take such a drastic decision.

    Mumbai municipal commissioner IS Chahal suggested that the hotel and restaurant associations can organise flying squads to check if outbreak norms were being followed.

    These association said member establishments not adhering to rules will be removed, while shopping centre representatives said they could deploy “COVID marshals” to check people in malls, while entry into food courts will be restricted.