As some cities in Maharashtra experience an increase in Covid cases, the state`s health minister, Rajesh Tope, said masks should be worn indoors like buses, schools, railways and offices. To curb the sudden rise in Covid-19 cases, the Maharashtra government on Saturday issued an order urging citizens to wear masks in public places except in open places. The decision was made in light of the recent outbreak in Maharashtra in recent days. Mumbai: Given the increase in Covid cases in the state, the government of Maharashtra has made wearing masks mandatory in public places except in open spaces. The additional chief secretary, Dr. Pradeep Vyas, issued several orders in a letter to all county authorities, including those mandating the wearing of masks in public places. “Masks in enclosed public spaces such as trains, buses, cinemas, auditoriums, offices, hospitals, colleges, schools is a must,” he said. The Maharashtra government made the use of face masks mandatory in the state on Saturday as the Covid-19 outbreak continues. According to a public order, the obligation to wear a mask has been introduced in enclosed public spaces such as trains, buses, cinemas, auditoriums, offices, hospitals, colleges and schools. The additional chief secretary, Dr. Pradeep Vyas, issued the necessary orders in a letter, including the wearing of masks in public places. Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that with the cabinet`s decision to lift all restrictions, rules such as mandatory double vaccination and wearing a mask no longer apply.
“But that doesn`t mean people have to be complacent. You have to be careful. While it is not mandatory to wear a mask, people are advised to wear masks wherever they can to take care of themselves and others. This allows us to celebrate upcoming festivals with enthusiasm,” he added. From now on, people will not be punished for not wearing masks. It is suggested that they wear them to protect themselves from the virus, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said| Photo credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI The state`s Covid Task Force has already asked people to ensure masks are used in enclosed places such as hospitals, buses, trains, colleges, schools, offices, auditoriums and cinemas. It may propose to extend the scope of the mandate to the opening of public places. The task force was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray later in the evening.
Tope said the word “shall” is confusing in people`s minds and has only been used as a precautionary measure and the government has not mandated masks now. People will no longer be punished from now on for not wearing masks. It is suggested that they wear it to protect themselves from the virus,” he said. Since the beginning of 2020, outbreaks of the Covid-19 virus have been reported worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), wearing a face mask protects against the coronavirus and stops the spread. While the government has advised people to behave appropriately in the face of Covid-19, wearing masks is no longer mandatory, but has become optional. As cases rise, people should be advised to wear masks in enclosed public spaces such as trains, buses, cinemas, auditoriums, offices, hospitals, colleges and schools. As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Maharashtra, the state government has made wearing masks a “must” in enclosed public spaces. “There has been some increase in positive cases in limited cluster areas such as Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Palghar districts, which has led to an increase in active cases in India. Therefore, we call on the public to wear masks in areas of increase,” said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope. However, confusion remains, as Health Minister Rajesh Tole told reporters on Friday afternoon that masks had not been made mandatory, but that people were being asked to wear them as a precaution to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The commuters, most without masks, are waiting for a train in Borivli on Sunday.
Photo / Nimesh Dave The obligation to wear a mask is almost here! The state cabinet on Monday asked the administration to ensure that residents of counties where Covid-19 cases are rising wear protective equipment. However, she asked that offenders not be punished. Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Pune are some of the places where the test positivity rate is high. Sources said the mask requirement is enforced every day because hospitals have already made it mandatory. Operators of enclosed spaces were asked to voluntarily return the rule. “If people don`t follow Covid-appropriate behavior, the restriction, like masks, will sooner or later be formalized because the number of cases doesn`t seem to be decreasing,” said an official familiar with the developments. Read also: KEM brings masks back to hospital, Brihanmumbai campus Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced that there will be no penalty for not using a Covid prevention mask from Friday, April 1. The administration has urged citizens to voluntarily use masks because the infection is not fully controlled.
When buying umbrellas, people forget about the most important shield against Covid, the mask, in Dadar. Photo/Ashish Raje As a precautionary measure, the BMC administration politely calls on citizens to voluntarily wear masks to protect themselves from Covid-19. However, he added that people need to wear masks, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated to prevent future Covid-19 outbreaks. “People should take care of themselves and others by following Covid-appropriate behavior,” Thackeray said. “The cabinet was of the opinion that the administration should ask people to wear masks and be strict if necessary, but not punish violators. The mask is voluntary, but we expect people to wear protective gear to contain the spread of the virus,” Tope added. Tope went on to say that countries in the US, UK and Europe have already gone mask-free. “But we made it optional. The decision was made by the Prime Minister and all others in consultation with the task force and the Ministry of Health,” he added. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting of the COVID task force amid rising infections.
Mr Thackeray had called for voluntary behaviour appropriate to COVID to avoid restrictions and lockdowns. Deputy Prime Minister Ajit Pawar also pointed out that the mask requirement could return if people do not voluntarily adhere to the standards. People buy umbrellas and raincoats at Dadar market. File Photo/Ashish Raje Maharashtra has seen a huge increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai in recent days. Senior officials fear a massive increase in symptomatic cases as the monsoon approaches. On June 4, Maharashtra recorded 1,357 new COVID cases, including 889 in Mumbai. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation area also surpassed the three-digit mark with 104 new cases recorded. The number of new cases has been rising for more than a week.
Mr Tope said there was no reason to panic as there was no increase in hospitalizations despite the increase in cases. People recover within a week due to immunity. The state government will investigate the situation in 15 to 20 days and make further decisions based on it,” he said, adding that the increase was limited to the Mumbai metropolitan area and some places in Raigad and Pune districts. For the latest news and live news, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more about the latest news from Maharashtra on India.com. Vyas also asked officials to conduct regular analysis of new cases in terms of time, place and person so that a local action plan can be developed. In his letter, Vyas wrote: “After the number of Covid-19 cases in the state declined sustainably in recent months, cases have been slowly but steadily increasing and daily cases exceeded 1,000 for the first time after 3 months on June 1, 2022. Currently, the Mumbai and Thane metropolitan areas are experiencing an increase in Covid-19 cases, but with the increase in the positivity rate in other districts (Annex 1), we can expect an increase in cases in other districts as well. In a letter to collectors, municipal enterprises and chief executives, Deputy Chief Secretary (Health) Pradeep Vayas said all districts should ensure that the proportion of RT-PCR tests is at least 60 percent.
Mumbai reports the highest number of daily coronavirus infections and has the highest number of active cases. The city is expected to see a further increase in active cases as testing intensifies. “Gudi Padwa is the beginning of the new year. This is the day to start a new job by putting aside the old one. For the past two years, we have successfully fought the deadly coronavirus, and today it seems to be fading. To make a fresh start, the restrictions imposed during the Corona period under the Disaster Management Law as well as the Epidemics Law will be completely lifted by Gudi Padwa (April 2),” Thackeray said in a statement from the CM Secretariat.