Night Curfew Will Not Stop Spread of Covid-19: DAK

Srinagar 9 April (KNB): With the imposition of night curfew in Jammu and Kashmir, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said the move won’t stop the spread of Covid-19 infection. 

“It beats logic to have restrictions at night when most of the crowds are during the day,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

He said that one wonders how night curfew will help in curbing the spread, when people go about their business during the day hours.

“We have no night life in Kashmir. There is no movement at all during the night hours. Life comes to a standstill in the night,” Dr Nisar said, “All activities happen during the day and that is the time when virus transmission occurs.”

Dr Nisar said that it is during daytime that huge crowds are seen in markets, large gatherings are seen at social and public functions which is the main cause behind the spread of Covid-19 infection in the community.

“Kashmir is reeling under the grip of a raging second wave of Covid-19 with a surge in the number of cases and hospitalizations too,” he said.

“The J&K Government yesterday has announced imposition of night curfew from April 09 in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus,” said DAK President “The virus does not take rest during the day and becomes active during the night. It doesn’t work like that.”

 He further said that there is no data to support the use of night curfew to reduce the virus transmission.

“Even the union health ministry has written to states like Maharashtra that night curfew has not much impact on virus transmission,” DAK President said. 

He also said that instead of applying a night curfew, we need to make people understand that corona is still here and they need to be cautious.

“Things like masking mandate, not allowing gatherings and improving ventilation in public places are all effective tools to stem the transmission of the virus,” he said, adding “And key is to ramp up the vaccine drive and inoculate as many people quickly as possible.” 

Dr Nisar said that the focus must remain on tracking, testing and isolation of cases.

“If we pursue these measures very aggressively, we may be able to control the situation soon. And, if we slip up on any of these measures, we will be down on a slippery slope for some months to come,” said Dr Nisar. (KNB)

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