Even as Maharashtra and Delhi have made masks optional, the doctor community is divided over the new move, and some believe that masks should still be mandatory despite India seeing a big drop in Covid cases.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of Indian Medical Association (IMA)’s national Covid task force, said, “It is dangerous if more states make wearing masks optional. Just because somebody is doing it, it does not make it right. We have learnt it from the western nations. We saw how the US had masks off once the people were double vaccinated. But they had to bring it back. We saw two waves after that. We have seen these mistakes made by other countries.”
Dr Jayadevan further said vaccines alone are not enough to control the spread and air hygiene measures are necessary. “Vaccines have some clear limitations. They are not going to stop you from picking up the infection. If we look at the statistics of Finland, Britain, which are highly vaccinated nations with 100% people being double vaccinated and about 99% have taken boosters. But these countries are seeing massive surges.”
He pointed out that it is those above 65 years of age who are affected. “If you invite older people for an indoor gathering and if you walk around them without a mask, you are not doing them a favour,” he said.
“It’s not the time to take off the masks. We are certainly going to see more variants coming at us,” he stressed.
“What we are seeing now is a dip in the overall severe cases, we don’t have cases in the ICU anymore, which is good but that is the nature of the beast. Even after the first wave, it just stopped like the rain was stopped. How many times can we be fooled? I am sure even at the end of the eighth wave, we must be saying this is the last,” Dr Jayadevan said.
Meanwhile, Dr N Sulphi, IMA Kerala president, said masks should be made optional outdoors, but should be worn strictly in hospitals and small air-conditioned rooms. “In the UK and many other places, cases have jumped after the relaxation (of Covid restriction). There will definitely be a spike but we can manage. Unless and until there is a new variant with a massive change, we can manage,” Dr Sulphi said.
However, virologist Dr Jacob John, said the Covid is in the endemic phase, therefore, the strict curbs to slow down the spread of the virus are no longer needed.
The educational and economic activities should come back to normal, Dr John said.
“Among the various non-pharmacological intervention that everyone took, mask is the simplest and people have understood that its value is far beyond Covid-19. Those suffering from upper respiratory infection, dust allergies, asthma are much less affected in the mask-wearing era. Therefore, public education about the advantages of mask should be promoted but mandating it through fines is not valid anymore,” he pointed out.
He also said it is not a bad idea to wear masks in crowded areas, waiting rooms and while using a public transport.
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