Unmasking: Many were waiting for it, others still cautious
New Delhi: Even as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has decided to stop fining people for not wearing face masks, thousands in the city are starting to get comfortable going maskless in public places while several others have decided to err on the side of caution and stay masked.
In fact, many people who are now confidently going maskless were just waiting for the DDMA decision to drop fines for not wearing it. In Chandni Chowk, where social distancing and mask-wearing has gone for a toss, private company employee Santanu said, "Firstly it is impossible to put on the mask in this scorching heat and
secondly, the country is now reporting as low as 1,000 covid cases per day. I've been double jabbed and in my knowledge, I think the worst is behind us now".
When asked about the rise in Covid cases in Europe and in India's neighbouring country China, the 29-year-old said he believed people in those countries have lower immunity and so were "fragile".
Even at the New Delhi Railway Station, hundreds were seen maskless, gathering in front of shops and ticket counters.
At Nehru Place, the relaxation in masl fines makes 32-year-old IT worker Ashish Deswal feel the Covid scare is over for good now. "I have ditched my mask as it's no longer mandatory to have one and I've had both the doses of vaccine so there's little to fear. And in the worst case if there is another wave of Covid, our PM will take the right decision and I'll be sure to follow that but until then I am happy with the pre-pandemic way of life."
But among those who choose to be cautious is UPSC aspirant, Piyush Aggarwal (21). Shopping for books at Connaught Place, he said, "I don't think people should go back to the pre-pandemic lifestyle at all because European countries are now struggling with the new wave. It's a delusion that covid is gone."
Second-year DU student Kulshan echoed Piyush's views as he and his group of friends had their masks on and were frequently using sanitizers while on their evening walk at CR Park — mostly worried about exposing the elderly in their families to the risk of the virus.
