2022 starts on a cautious note

The roads of the national capital that would otherwise bustle with activity, even in the run-up to the new year’s eve, now empties out by 10 pm. And it’s not just Delhi. Several States across the country are ringing in 2022 on a sombre note with customary celebrations replaced by curbs and night-curfews, some well into January.

And they are doing so, with an eye on the rising Covid-19 and Omicron cases. India reported 16,764 fresh cases and 220 deaths on Friday. This meant 10,000 more cases for the second day in a row, after 33 days. The tally of Omicron cases, the highly transmissible variant of the virus, surged to 1,270 with the country’s daily positivity rate going up to 1.34 per cent.

Mumbai, with a positivity rate of 4 per cent, saw an imposition of Section 144 (disallowing large groups) till January 7. Restrictions have also been imposed on new year celebrations and parties in any closed or open space, including restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, resorts, and clubs.

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Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, for example, were among those that imposed night curfews. And in Tamil Nadu, Chennai’s popular Marina beach, where midnight celebrations happen every year, remains closed from Friday night (Dec 31). But the other beach hot-spot, Goa, has not imposed restrictions. And so did Telangana and West Bengal that allowed celebrations, provided vaccinations and Covid-19 appropriate protocols were in place.

Just this week, the Union Health Secretary had advised eight States, including Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Karnataka, to take stringent measures to curtail the spread. VK Paul, Niti Aayog, Member-Health, had cautioned that the R-factor was above 1, an indication that cases were increasing.

Low hospitalisations

But Dr Virender Yadav, Chief Medical Officer at Gurugram, Haryana said that the situation was not worrying at present, with few hospitalisations. Similar reports were coming in from other locations too. A Government representative in Mumbai said, less than 5 percent of the total number of positive patients were getting admitted, and that too with mild symptoms. In Gujarat too, health authorities claim that about 10-12 percent patients are admitted to hospitals in places like Ahmedabad and Surat, despite hospitals having increased their oxygen beds and ventilator facilities. Most patients had mild or no symptoms, and so were under home quarantine, they point out.

Curbs and curfews

And yet, roads are deserted by 10 pm, an hour before curfew begins, observed Swapnil Mehta, a retail fashion accessories shop owner on Ahmedabad’s CG Road. “Traditionally huge crowds would gather on the new year eve here (a commercial hub) ... People would gather to welcome the new year and celebrations lasts till 1 am,” he recalled.

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In Karnataka, too, State-wide restrictions are in place. From December 28 to January 7, all ‘non-essential’ and non-emergency travel between 10 pm and 5 am has been barred. Pubs, bars, hotels and other eateries have been asked to function at 50 per cent capacity, with staff compulsorily, fully vaccinated. In Bengaluru, congregations of five or more at any public place, including parks, playgrounds or other open spaces, is disallowed. And last week the State government said 7,100 ICU beds with adequate oxygen supply were being readied.

Against the tide

In Telangana, liquor shops were allowed to stay open till 12 am and bars and restaurants to function till 1 am, with Covid-19 norms in place. This surprised many, as cases are projected to increase in next few weeks.

Clubs in West Bengal, however, were being careful, despite no restrictions. They cancelled annual mass parties on new year’s eve. The State saw its Covid-19 cases almost double to 2,128 on Thursday, with a positivity rate at 5.47 per cent.

(With inputs from Venkatesha Babu (Bengaluru), Radheshyam Jadhav (Pune), KV Kurmanath (Hyderabad), TE Raja Simhan (Chennai), Shobha Roy (Kolkata))

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