Delhiites are wearing masks again. The mask holiday for them lasted even less than three weeks. As Covid 19 cases declined, the authorities withdrew the Rs 500 fine for not wearing masks in public.
There was an advisory that wearing masks were no longer mandatory, but it was still desirable to wear them. After all, the pandemic had started with a few infections only. The Delhi citizens took the official advisory lightly and felt they had won freedom from the “troublesome” masks.
In the next few days, the Covid cases jumped several times, and the masks returned along with the punitive fines. Thousands of people were fined for not wearing masks or for not wearing them properly, earlier. The masks were considered part of the Covid-appropriate behaviour, along with social distancing.
Still, the day the fines were withdrawn, the Delhi’ites threw off their masks. They believed that Covid had gone and wearing masks were unnecessary. In fact, many of them were already wearing the masks around their necks only.
They seemed to say they respected the law, but wearing masks was not really required. The authorities believed the people had learnt lessons during the severe Covid-19 waves, and even an advisory would be taken seriously.
They were proved wrong. For the citizens, the withdrawal of the fine meant all is well, and they could relax. The situation was conducive to the revival of infectious diseases. Not only did the number of cases shot up, but even the positivity rate rose.
The worried officials were at a loss on how to deal with the situation. Educational institutions had reopened. Students were traveling all day to schools and colleges.
Offices had resumed their normal functioning. While those traveling by Metro had their masks on, people in the streets showed no sign of concern. The markets were drawing crowds and virtually none wore the mask.
The wedding “season” too had come. This meant more than usual crowds in shopping areas. The people cared little that Delhi markets are congested places where wearing masks was desirable to protect one from different infections. But Delhi was Delhi, where virtually no regulation was followed without the fear of fines.
Not long ago, cars in Delhi displayed number plates in different languages, until the fines were imposed to ensure uniformity in language and the size of the number plate letters. Parking of cars and scooters goes on at places prohibited for this. The citizens are paying heavy fines for this.
The masks were never taken seriously until the fines came. Despite the awareness campaigns, some people continue to argue against wearing them. The masks are back along with the fines.
New standard operating procedures (SOPs) have come for schools. One can hear the sound of police sirens again. A major worry is the Delhi Metro travel.
The Metro coaches are packed like sardines around 10 am and again in the evening. The commuters are wearing masks but there is no social-distancing possible, considering the crowds for whom there is no other cheap and reliable mode of travel in the city.