KOCHI: When the health department has stepped up its vigil in the wake of more Omicron cases being confirmed in the state, rampant Covid protocol violations, including not wearing masks properly in public places, are being witnessed in various parts of the state.
The state police have taken action against more than 3,000 people daily in the past one week for not wearing the masks properly.
Though the Omicron variant has only manifested with mild symptoms so far, experts have urged the public to step up their vigil.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa, which reported the emergence of Omicron first, in a statement stated that compared to previous waves, the number of patients hospitalised and deaths are fewer.
“Though the data is still being gathered, evidence suggests the current wave may be milder,” said the statement.
“The worrying factor is the multiple mutations. At this point, it is very difficult to arrive at a conclusive projection regarding the new variant. Rather than the infection, the post-Covid issues continue to haunt several people. It is better to take precautions rather than end up in a state of suffering,” said Dr Monu Varghese, pulmonologist based in Kochi.
On Wednesday, action was taken against 3,150 people for not wearing masks, while action was taken against 3,168 and 3,119 on Tuesday and Monday, respectively.
“The basic Covid protocol like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and sanitising remains the key in tackling the infection. It has been seen that even in public places, many are not wearing masks. At this point when cases of the Covid variant is reported, we cannot let our guard down,” said a health official.
The health official also said the instructions have been given to district police officials to take strict action against Covid protocol violations.