Third wave scare: Tough measures after August 15, says Ashok

Civic body expects the third wave to hit the city in September

With the reproductive rate (R factor) of the virus crossing one in the city recently raising concerns, the civic body is gearing up to impose fresh restrictions in the coming weeks. Though the number of cases in the city is under control — in the range of 400 and 500 daily for the past three weeks — the civic body expects the third wave to hit the city in September, sources said. Revenue Minister R. Ashok, in-charge of pandemic management in the city, on Monday, while assuring that the situation in the city was under control, said tough measures to control the spread of the virus will be imposed in the city after August 15. When quizzed whether this would mean weekend curfews and a closure of economic activity, he said nothing can be ruled out and decisions will be taken based on the evolving situation. “The vaccination rate in the city is good, which we hope will reduce the number of hospitalisations and deaths in the city, even if the cases shoot up,” he said . At a COVID-19 review meeting , restrictions on markets, commercial hubs, temples, and even public transport and a weekend curfew were discussed, sources said. “We are of the view that we need to reduce the time window and strictly restrict the number of people at markets, commercial hubs, temples, and hotels, but that is for the state government to take a call,” a senior civic official said.