BENGALURU: Did you know that Covid can spread when a person spits? Spitting is not just a social issue anymore. It has become a medical issue, which needs to be addressed and stopped immediately. This was the unanimous statement made by NGOs across the country.
They also agreed to disseminate this message in all their neighbourhoods. This was also the message at the #StopIndiaSpitting campaign launched by Beautiful Bengaluru, a citizens' initiative in March 2020.
Speaking at an online event for Bengaluru partners in the context of the raging covid second wave, Odette Katrak, co-founder of Beautiful Bengaluru, said that though the government has acknowledged that spitting is a major issue, there are many gaps in on-ground preparedness, which need to be handled. “The state government has agreed that it is a critical issue.
They have empowered marshals and health officials to penalise offenders, but citizens must also come forward and create awareness,” he added. The NGOs echoed that it should now become a social movement by involving every citizen, especially the youth.
POURAKARMIKAS AT RISK
Dr Kunal Sharma, medical adviser to the government, said that spitting leads to many health conditions like flu, TB, HIV, meningitis, Covid and other air-borne diseases. Nalini Shekhar from Hasiru Dala said that people do not realise that pourakarimkas, who clean roads, are also cleaning spit, which only makes them more vulnerable to infections.