NEW DELHI: Health minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday said if there is strict compliance of COVID appropriate behaviour, the city could avoid another wave of the deadly pandemic.
The health minister, informing about the steady decline in the number of fresh COVID cases for the last one month in the national capital, said people need to wear masks and follow social distancing while stepping out of their house.
"It seems the coronavirus is in control but I would like to appeal to everyone to follow Covid appropriate behaviour. If all people wear masks and follow the guidelines, then we could save ourselves from another wave. It all depends on our own behaviour," said Jain.
Delhi government has started lifting of restrictions in the hope that life finds its way back to normalcy. The city reported 124 fresh cases and seven deaths on Sunday. The positivity rate is 0.17 per cent, which the health minister said shows a decline in the spread of the infection. However, keeping a strict vigil is important, the minister further said.
"The last wave has taught us lessons. First, if cases reduce that does not mean that they can’t increase again. Delhi has faced four waves. After the third wave people got relaxed. Then came the next wave. This should not be the case," added the minister.
Bracing for the probable next wave, Jain said strict compliance of COVID appropriate behaviour could prevent it. "A low number of cases does not mean COVID is over, because it is not," added Jain saying strict action will be taken against people who are not following the norms, especially in markets where there have been reports of people thronging in large numbers without proper distancing.
The health minister also spoke about the vaccination process, saying that in Delhi, vaccination centres have come up in every ward.
Lessons learnt from previous waves
Jain said the last wave taught us lessons. "If cases reduce that does not mean they can't increase again. After the third wave people got relaxed. Then came the next. This should not be the case," he said.