Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said wearing masks will be mandatory for the next six months in the state.
Addressing people of the state on social media, Thackeray said experts are in favour of imposing night curfew or another lockdown, but he is not in favour of these steps.
The CM appealed to people to be careful during the New Year celebrations. The Coronavirus situation in the state is under control, though not completely, he said.
"Prevention is better than cure. Wearing of mask at public places should be made a habit for another six months at least," Thackeray said.
Those who don't follow the safety protocol should know they are putting lives of others, who are abiding by rules, at risk, he said.
Asking people to be careful while welcoming the New Year, he said the discovery of a new strain of the virus in Europe has resulted in lockdown in several countries as there was no other option.