New Delhi: Several states have imposed or are considering placing local restrictions such as night and weekend curfews to check the spread of Covid-19.
We asked readers: Does it make sense to clamp night curfews, weekend curfews to control Covid-19 transmission?
Here is what some of them said:
‘Partial restriction on mobility minimises crowd-gathering’
It does make sense to keep transmission of Covid-19 under check or within the ‘controllable limits’. With temperatures dipping in many parts of the country and celebrations (New Year /Christmas) around the corner, a partial restriction on mobility shall minimise crowd-gathering and keep socialising behaviour under check to some extent. To brace ourselves for the second wave, which according to the estimates will be worse than the first, it is a logical move to manage an uptick. It will also allow a little respite to our healthcare workers, who, already are reeling under fatigue and heavy caseload.
Vinay Agrawal, Mumbai. Twitter: @rockstarvinay
‘Night curfews will discourage people from going around town’
Night curfews after 9 pm in big cities make sense in order to discourage people, particularly youngsters, from going around town on their vehicles and socialising unnecessarily. In cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, night rides with friends/family has become a social norm and that includes stopping for street food or drinks. Such unnecessary and very public gatherings, however small, should be discouraged, with curfews if required. Indians, particularly young urbanites, don’t always respect the rules and sometimes use silly excuses to circumvent them. During a crisis like Covid-19, public restraint and discipline is necessary.
Shubhayan Bhattacharya, Mumbai. Twitter: @shubhayan_Ba
‘Curfew not a solution, good healthcare is’
According to me, imposing night curfew or weekend curfew is not the step that can help in controlling transmission of this deadly disease. Apart from imposing curfew, government should take steps towards free testing and provide adequate hospital facility to patients. We all are aware and we all have witnessed that in most of cities, because of lack of facilities, Covid-19 patients are standing or lying in front of the hospital gate, waiting for their turn. The only thing that can control the transmission of Covid-19 is good healthcare system. Curfews are not a solution because no one knows if the person who is going for a night walk or buying grocery on weekends is not a transmitter of the virus.
Shubhangi Dwivedi, Lucknow. Twitter: @shubhangidwived
‘Night and weekend curfews can work as immunity booster’
In a developing country like India, when it is not advisable economically to impose curfew for many days, night and weekend curfews can work as an immunity booster. It helps in reducing the spread of the pandemic. At least we can control social gatherings and outings on weekends. So, till the time vaccines are out publicly, we should support initiatives the government is taking for controlling the pandemic. Indian economy has started moving upward, vaccines are nearby, market is at pre-Covid level, new morning with sunshine is about to happen and positivity is in the air. Let’s maintain this positiveness.
— Rachana Oza, Ahmedabad. Twitter: @Rachana92324830
‘Govt should start emphasising precautions on all week days’
The main causes behind ‘community transmission’ of Covid-19 were crowded places and people not valuing important precautions such as wearing a mask properly and social distancing norms. The government should start emphasising these precautions at public places from dawn-to-dark on all week days when people are out to enjoy rather than imposing night curfews in winters when families themselves prefer to stay indoors. Halting all types of large gatherings can be another successful measure.
Poonam Chanchlani, Jaipur. Twitter: @mnameispoona
‘Weekend, not night curfews, can prove effective’
I know a few people who make plans for weekends and go to restaurants, etc. So yes, these weekend curfews can prove effective in the fight against Covid-19. But night curfews are senseless. In most cities, there is no night life. Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, a night curfew means nothing in other cities. Places like Delhi and Gujarat need complete lockdown to control Covid-19 transmission. We should not club night and weekend curfews together. One might prove effective, but the other is futile.
Nimit Arora, Kanpur. Twitter: @nimitarora1991
‘Weekend curfews can apply restrictions on travel’
Imposing night curfews in major cities might not directly impact controlling Covid-19 transmission as many people do not travel out of their homes. But it creates a psychological impact on people living in cities about the importance of maintaining all guidelines of the government. Talking about weekend curfews, they do work as many people from cities visit their relatives or friends and families to enjoy the weekend. Weekend curfews apply restrictions on travelling people and will surely help reduce transmission. Unnecessary travelling should be avoided as a second wave of Covid-19 transmission is expected. So imposing these measures would surely work in creating awareness.
Aishwary Songirkar, Pune. Twitter: @ForeverOpulence
‘Difficult to fathom logic behind night curfew’
Coronavirus does not take rest during the day and become active during the night — it’s difficult to fathom what is the logic behind this night curfew. On one hand, there is a total disregard for Covid-19 regulations in political rallies, be it in Bihar or Telangana, and on the other hand, you have night curfews. In fact, having night curfews would be counterproductive as you are forcing people to get things done before a certain time, causing more crowds during the daytime. If there is no curfew, at least people will have the option to go out for their groceries or other shopping needs in a less crowded time. Night curfews make no sense whatsoever.
Vidyuth Chikoti, San Francisco
‘Curfews senseless. Virus neither sleeps nor goes on holidays’
The answer is no. It is as senseless as burning whole crop field to eliminate few plants injurious to the main crop instead of manually plucking out such plants. Or, as senseless as closure of a busy highway to avoid traffic jam instead of imposing stricter discipline, installing signals and ensuring perfect observation of speed limit. Or imprisoning entire block of population instead of searching and arresting few miscreants hiding with them. Coronavirus gets transmitted by humans anytime and anywhere, causing infection. It neither sleeps nor observes holidays. Better to observe social distancing rules and make masks mandatory.
Ramnik Busa, Jamnagar. Twitter: @ramnikbusa
‘Curfews could supplement individual efforts to curb infection’
The pandemic has made people aware and recognise the importance of social distancing, self restraint and observing precautions. Everyone has followed the norms through the lockdown phase. But as unlocking started and cases went down, people also lowered their guard. Furthermore, India is a country of festivals and collective celebrations. This makes the situation more dangerous. Experts have warned of a second wave of Covid-19 infections. In such a situation, night curfew and weekend curfew is required. It could supplement individual efforts to curb the infection. Self restraint and curb on movement by government will help control the Covid-19 infection.
Shruti Wankhade, Paratwada, Amravati, Maharashtra. Twitter: @Shruti84471040
Also read: Reader View: People are letting their guard down but India can’t afford to just yet
The idea of night curfew seems to be just a formality in the name of control. The crowding in huge magnitude is happening all through the day. A large percentage of the large population is not following all prescribed safety norms. Major gatherings including political meetings, election campaigns, election results celebrations, protests etc. are happening without any compliance to safety norms. In light of all this, night curfew just happens to be a gimmick with not much purpose to serve, while the risk of spread of infection is exceedingly high all through the day with huge crowding. The actual number of Covid infection cases prevailing could definitely be way larger than what is recorded. With the relaxations which were intended to support people and economy, the potential to contract the infection has also gone up. It is imperative that the regulation be more stringent and the lockdown be effected in a bigger way throughout the day atleast till the time the danger is minimized to a huge extent or a vaccine/cure is found. The worrying part is, the rationale has been engulfed by political motives of various kinds and actions being influenced by this. It is difficult to understand how, the cases were on the rise when the lockdown was in force and how the numbers are going down after unlock? Don’t think, anything, anyone or any purpose means more than Life and being Alive.