‘Ignore at your peril’

Concerned citizens flag casual approach to COVID-appropriate behaviour at a time when Omicron is emerging to be a real threat

A shopping mall at Maddilapalem junction was teeming with shoppers on Christmas Day. The huge crowd in the vast space outside the mall and people jostling with one another at the entrance and those inside, visible through the huge glass entrance, made one wonder whether the pandemic threat was over.

Many of them were not wearing masks and some were wearing it on their chins. A vast majority of the crowd seemed to be well-educated and it is unlikely that they haven’t heard of the Omicron threat and its rapid spread. They, perhaps, think that Omicron is ‘harmless’ as even those who are getting it are rarely being hospitalised.

The shoppers formed a queue outside the mall, to get into it in a hurry as though the stocks would run out. The security guard at the entrance rightly pointed out: “This way, it is not long before the authorities concerned will impose another lockdown.” He was speaking out loudly to caution the crowd to ‘maintain a safe distance’, even as he checked their body temperature with the thermal gun and sprayed sanitiser on their palms.