Indian gov’t warns of COVID-19 protocol violations
NEW DELHI: JULY 6 – India’s federal government on Tuesday expressed concern over reports of people crowding hill stations and other tourist destinations in large numbers.
A senior federal health ministry official Lav Agarwal referred to the phenomenon as “revenge travel” and warned that violating COVID-19 protocol would undo the gains achieved so far.
Agarwal stressed that only COVID-19 appropriate behavior can contain the virus, and “revenge travel” was dangerous.
“We want to bring it to your notice that virus and infectious disease is still very much there. It is important to adhere to the COVID-19 protocol and a slight violation can spread the virus again. You have seen people in hill stations and markets are moving without following COVID-19 protocol by not wearing masks and it can nullify the gain that we have achieved in terms of management of the COVID-19.”
The ministry showed photographs from places like Manali, Shimla, and Mussoorie of massive crowds roaming around with no face masks. Similar pictures from Delhi’s Sadar Bazar and Dadar market in Mumbai were also shown.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Balram Bhargava said photos coming in from hill stations were frightening.
“COVID-19 appropriate behavior is absolutely essential. The pictures that we have seen today are frightening and we have to be very very careful, very very responsible, and very very cautious,” he said.
-XINHUA
