COVID19 surge: ‘Avoid unnecessary visits to public places, hospitals’

Srinagar, Jan 17: District Administration Srinagar on Monday advised people to avoid unnecessary visits to public places and hospitals amid COVID19 surge in the district.

It further urged upon the citizens to adhere to COVID19 safety guidelines in letter and spirit.

“People must avoid unnecessary visit to public places, crowded spaces and hospitals. Even if you don’t show symptoms, you could carry the COVID19 virus or if you are healthy, still you may contract a virus,” Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Syed Hanief Balkhi told Greater Kashmir.

“It is the need of an hour that all people play their vital role and contribute in defeating the pandemic. As the people would take precautionary measures, avoid unnecessary visit to crowded places and follow safety guidelines, it shall ensure that chain of virus is break down,” he said while replying to a query.

Referring to advisories and information issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Balkhi said that the most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID19 virus is to keep a physical distance from others; wear a well-fitting mask; open windows to improve ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; and cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue.

He added that as per health experts the virus spreads mostly through droplets that people send out when they talk, sneeze, or cough.

“This is why wearing a facial covering is important. It keeps you from giving virus to others as well as helping you to avoid it breathing in,” he said while stressing that people must wear on facemask.

The ADC said that authorities have set up special teams for enforcement of the SOPs at public places. “These teams make surprise visits of various public places and people find without wearing face masks are fined.”

“In the past few weeks, looking at the rise in positive cases, around 250 localities have been declared as micro-containment zone in Srinagar. Srinagar may be more prone to spreading of virus given its high density population. We need to be very careful at this stage,” he said.

“The weekend restrictions have been imposed as per need. We will defeat the virus if all people show collective responsibility and adhere to COVID19 SOPs in letter and spirit. I repeat that as per health agencies, the third wave of virus is imminent and we all need to be careful at this stage and adhere to COVID19 safety guidelines,” he said while replying to a query.