Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: Health experts have called for revising Covid appropriate behavior (CAB) as third wave ebbs in Kashmir.
The daily cases have dropped below 100 since February 24.
HOD Community Medicine Government Medical College, Srinagar Dr. Salim Khan told The Kashmir Monitor that there has been a sharp reduction in the number of Covid cases.
“Our laboratories are recording very few cases and minimal hospital admissions. The third wave has already terminated and we are witnessing some sporadic cases. It indicates towards Covid turning into an endemic. Therefore, the need of the hour is to revisit the previous decisions on the pandemic including Covid appropriate behavior especially wearing of masks,” Khan said.
He stressed that the schools have opened up and children are engaged in various extracurricular activities like sports.
“In this scenario, they need not use face masks while in school and the administration needs to revisit the policy,” Dr. Khan said.
Dr. Khan said Covid decisions are dynamic in nature and depending upon it, we may approach the disease accordingly. “As of now, we don’t see any scientific reasoning for allowing compulsory use of masks. There are various checkpoints set up by the police where people are being fined for not wearing masks. We believe a decision at the top level should be taken about wearing masks or otherwise,” he said.
Head of the Department at Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar, Dr. Naveed Nazir Shah had also tweeted about the decline of Covid cases. “First time since march 2020 no covid positive patient admitted in CD hospital… Hopefully, we are at the end of the pandemic,” he said.
Community Medicine Specialist Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Saleem said unless and until the administration doesn’t come with the proper revised guidelines, the CAB should be continued.
“There may be a silent mutation going on somewhere in the virus. Thus, it’s imperative that we wait for clear-cut directions from the government about the usage of masks,” he said.
Meanwhile, fifty-three Covid positives cases were reported on March 8 including 32 in the Kashmir division, 21 in Jammu while the Union Territory of Ladakh recorded 11 positives.
