BHOPAL: Corona cases are on the rise once again and health experts have been repeatedly warning that the third wave of Covid-19 may hit soon, but it seems that most people in Bhopal have forgotten the importance of wearing face masks.
A simple protocol that can substantially curb the spread of Covid-19 and contribute in controlling the pandemic has few takers on streets and public places.
TOI team visited the New Market and Boat Club areas on Tuesday to do a reality check of Covid-19 norms being followed by people. The team found that almost 70% of the people were not wearing masks. People either carried their masks in their pockets or just left them dangling around their chin.
When asked about the reason for not wearing masks, people made excuses like — “I was wearing a mask and had just removed it for drinking water.” “It’s so humid, I feel suffocated in the mask so I just removed it.”
TOI spoke to a number of people including shopkeepers, elderly men, women, students and youngsters and even families with children visiting the New Market and Boat club and all were aware about the importance of masks and were carrying it with them. But they wore the masks only after the TOI raised an objection. A mobile shopkeeper Manish Gupta told TOI, “People only follow rules and protocols until there is a fear of any disease.
Now the people have stopped fearing corona virus so they are not following the rules and do not wear masks. Most of the people think that their immunity has grown strong and Covid-19 will not affect them.” The TOI team found at New Market that either most shopkeepers were not wearing masks or wearing them improperly. People could be seen wearing masks below their nose or the chin, even dangling from one ear can be seen commonly.
Another shopkeeper said, “Our business was badly affected by the online shopping portals and then by lockdown/Corona curfew. Now if a customer comes to our shop without wearing a mask, we just cannot tell him to go away and return after wearing a mask. It is not practical, then the customer will go to any other shop. Our shops are too small, how can we follow social distancing?”
A garment shop owner said that all the rules are imposed on the shopkeepers of the New City area because here they follow the norms and abide by rules. But nothing is done against the violators in the Old City areas.
An electronics shopkeeper Anil said, “Most of the people coming to our shop carry a mask with them but do not wear it. 30% people do not even carry a mask with them now. When we object, they take out their mask and wear it.”
