Hyderabad: The Covid-19 situation in the state is “not over yet,” the state health department has warned, ahead of the ongoing Bonalu festivities and Bakrid on Wednesday, and urged people to follow safety norms to prevent onset of the third wave of the pandemic.
“Let me caution you, the decline of cases has been slow in some parts of the state. It’s not over yet,” director of public health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao cautioned on Saturday.
“The conditions,” he said, “are not favourable or encouraging for the Covid situation. Only public contribution by actively following Covid appropriate behaviour will help in prevention and mitigation of the third wave.”
The advisory from the official in-charge of public health comes in the wake of a gentle upward creep of Covid-19 cases over the past three days. Throughout July so far, there have been ups and downs in daily Covid-19 cases presenting a confusing picture on how the disease is behaving, though the overall trend, until July 15, was downward.
Dr Srinivasa Rao said people celebrating Bonalu and Bakrid should follow Covid-19 safety protocols of wearing masks properly, washing hands frequently, and maintaining physical distance when in public settings. “This is also the season of many festivals, auspicious times for marriages and other functions. If people are careless, we have to pay a heavy price,” he warned.
Potarajus, pujaris, Rangam devatas and staff of temples celebrating Bonalu should follow the safety protocols, he said. Devotees, organisers and the people have been cautioned to remember that huge gatherings were responsible for the Covid-19 second wave. Organisers of events, Dr Srinivasa Rao, must ensure that too many people did not gather at one time in any one place.
Similarly, for Bakrid, people have been urged to exercise complete caution during the rituals of the festival.
