Mask mandate is back, but Noida is hardly following it

NOIDA: The renewal of the mask mandate had no visible impact in public places on Friday with face covers barely visible across markets, malls, buses and metro trains. Some people said they would start wearing masks if cases went up further, some said they could not possibly wear a mask through the day and some said they are fully vaccinated and did not feel the need for a mask. Others, especially shopkeepers, expressed worry about the new advisory.
Doctors, however, strongly urged the use of face masks in public places, pointing out that medical science is still studying Covid and the virus itself is evolving even though the new variants have not led to any conspicuous increase in hospitalisations. Vaccination has an important role, they said, but simple hygiene like wearing a mask and washing hands have tremendous benefits in protecting against the spread of Covid.
Rohini resident Mridul Arora, who works at a brand management company in Noida, said wearing masks had become an automatic part of his daily life since early in the pandemic, through multiple variants and three long summers of suffocating heat and humidity.
"I have to take the metro to office every day and there are certain stretches on the metro routes that see a heavy crowd. So, wearing a face mask and using sanitisers have stayed with me. Every time I touch the door handles in the metro, I sanitise my hands now. Surprisingly, few others are seen wearing masks or using sanitisers even now when Covid cases are on the rise," he said.
Owner of a construction company in Sector 18 market, one of Noida's busiest areas, Vaibhav Gupta, however, said it might take him some getting used to wearing masks while stepping out of home again. "Face masks were mandatory until last year, but today we all have lost the habit of wearing one. I am not wearing a mask today, but given the rate at which the infection is spreading, I will start wearing masks at least in crowded areas."
Some others, meanwhile, have become to worry - will another wave of infection mean a return of lockdown and suspension of some businesses?
"Not only the economic loss, but the mental strain of being limited to two rooms, losing touch with friends, colleagues and missing out on daily walks makes me worry. I think we must take utmost care to avoid an upsurge and limit the spread by taking care of ourselves," Shubham Gaur, a resident of Greater Noida, told TOI.
While a few feel they were fully vaccinated and Covid was just like any other viral fever now, doctors have advised caution. "Masks are still the strongest protection against Covid. While most of the patients recover with basic care at home, a very large percentage of people required hospitalization in the first two waves. Wearing a mask not only makes us safe but also others with compromised immunity," said Dr Mrinal Sircar, the director of pulmonology and critical care at Fortis Hospital in Noida.
Doctors also emphasized on vaccination. Taking the booster dose, they said, could reduce the severity of the infection, especially among the aged. "Wearing masks, washing hands, sanitising the surroundings of old age people and children can be rewarding," Dr Sircar added.
On Thursday, Gautam Budh Nagar CMO Dr Sunil Sharma issued an order to make wearing face masks mandatory in the district. It said those without masks won't be allowed into offices, schools/colleges, hospitals, malls and cinema halls, and public transport. The wide-ranging order also advised people to wear gloves, reminiscent of the initial months after the first Covid outbreak in early 2020 when little was known about the virus.