The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has removed the mask mandate, a day after Maharashtra and West Bengal removed all Covid-related restrictions, amid declining cases in the National Capital. According to the DDMA order, not wearing a mask will no longer attract a fine. The order goes into effect immediately.
While the DDMA officially did not say masks were no longer mandatory, the removal of the Rs 500-fine effectively makes them optional. The authority, however, has advised people to continue using masks in crowded places. The decision was made on Friday at a meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal in view of a drop in the National Capital’s positivity rate and vaccination of a large section of people, reports said.
Earlier, the Union Health Ministry had advised the states and Union Territories to consider removing Covid-19 containment measures following the sharp decline in fresh infections.
Delhi had imposed several restrictions during the third Covid-19 wave earlier this year. However, with the infections dropping, the government gradually eased those restrictions.
The fine for not wearing a mask was first imposed in 2020 and hiked to Rs 2,000 later in the year amid the spread of the pandemic. The government reduced the fine from Rs 2,000 to Rs 500 in February.
Delhi reported 131 fresh cases with a positivity rate of 0.57% and one death over the past 24 hours. The new cases brought the city-state’s total Covid-19 caseload to 1,865,101, while the death toll stands at 26,153. The number of patients in home isolation has also dropped significantly from 12,312 on February 1 to 332 on Friday, the Delhi Health Department said in a bulletin.
On Friday, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Telangana dropped their compulsory mask mandate in public places.
“All COVID restrictions in Maharashtra will be lifted, as we bring in the new year this Gudi Padwa!” Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Office tweeted, referring to the spring festival that marks the Marathi New Year.
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