State's proactive measures help keep virus graph down, even amid festivities
Kolkata: Proactive measures taken by the state Health department and other government agencies have managed to bring the Covid graph down amidst the festive season in Bengal.
Following the warning from various experts about a possible rise in Covid cases in the state during the festive season, many had become skeptical whether the Bengal government would be able to avoid a surge.
The Bengal government has proved all the warnings wrong as the daily Covid infection rate is on the decline. This has become possible by the relentless efforts taken by the health department and a constant surveillance carried out by various other government agencies including Police. Following the state government's specific guidelines issued on the preventive measures, the Health department put in place various mechanisms to strictly follow the Covid norms. The state government had laid down specific norms as to how the Pujas would be celebrated. Various law enforcing authorities including police ensured that the safety parameters are followed.
As public transport resumed in the city in June the number of passengers and vehicles gradually increased. But the spike in the commuter numbers had no major impact on the Covid graph in Bengal. Many had apprehended that shoppers thronging malls ahead of Durga Puja may contribute to the number of Covid cases. But Durga Puja and Diwali passed off without any further increase in the number of cases. The daily infection has gone down instead which is a major confidence boosting exercise for the doctors, nurses and health workers who are directly involved with the health services.
During Durga Puja, restrictions were imposed on the visitors from entering the puja pandals and the police and government officials found a low turnout of people on the streets during the puja days. Even the Kali Puja organisers across Bengal followed certain norms and restrictions were imposed on the entry of the visitors into the pandel. In most of the places the pandals were erected in such a manner so that it is open from three sides and people can have a glimpse of the idols from a distance. A rigorous campaign conducted by the Mamata Banerjee government made people aware about various precautionary steps like wearing masks before stepping out of the houses and using sanitisers.
On October 1, the daily new infection remained at 3,275, followed by 3,310 and 3,340 on October 2 and 3 respectively. The number had slightly gone up before Puja as it touched 3,983 on October 18 preceded by 3,865 on October 17.
The number drastically reduced recently as it dropped at 3,012 on October 16. The figure stood at 3,053 on October 15. Health experts believe that if this trend continues for a more number of days, it would be a signal of assurances to the government.
