Public health experts warn of high risk of COVID-19 despite ‘smart lockdown’

KATHMANDU, June 25: Local administrations have enforced eased restriction orders starting from Tuesday earlier this week. With this, various services and businesses ranging from clothing stores to electronic stores, cosmetic shops to hardware stores and tailoring shops to stationery shops are open during a specific period of time and on specific days. The government officials have termed this as a form of ‘smart lockdown’. 

Public health experts, however,  warn of high risk of COVID-19 transmission during ‘smart lockdown’. According to Baburam Marasini, a public health expert, infection rate of the coronavirus disease increases if businessmen and customers fail to abide by public health protocols such as maintaining social distance, wearing face masks, using hand sanitizers and so on. 

“Though officials claim to have adopted a policy of allowing business activities and operating vehicles by avoiding crowds, it seems to have been rarely implemented,” he said, adding that the government should focus on breaking the transmission chain and implementing ‘smart lockdown’. ’

Click here to read the story in detail.