Covid-19: Crowding in hill stations is frightening, says Centre, warns of reintroducing restrictions

The Centre on Tuesday took note of crowding in hill stations and stressed on the importance of following Covid-appropriate behaviour.

At a health ministry press conference, government officials showed pictures of tourists jostling in cities like Mussorie, Manali and Shimla.

“The pictures that we have seen today are frightening and we have to be very careful, very responsible and very cautious,” said Balram Bhargava, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Bhargava also said some states are still in the midst of the second wave of the pandemic, despite daily infections declining, PTI reported. “The areas reporting a test positivity rate of over 10% have to impose/reinstate certain restrictive measures which have shown to be time tested and found to be effective because the virus is still lurking around,” he added.

Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry, warned that restrictions may be imposed again if people continue to flout Covid guidelines. “People are indulging in revenge travel with restrictions being lifted,” he said. “Once the restrictions were relaxed, people probably started thinking the virus must have become ineffective. The infection is still very much present. If people do not wear masks and not maintain physical distancing, it could nullify all the gains we have made so…

Read more