The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has hit out at people who are not following COVID guidelines and flouting rules.?
The ICMR said?those who do not wear face masks are driving the coronavirus pandemic in India. "Irresponsible, less cautious people who are not wearing masks are driving the pandemic in India," said ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava at a press briefing with Ministry of Health officials.
"I would not say younger or older people, instead--I would say irresponsible people who are not using the face masks, not maintaining social distaining are the ones who are driving the pandemic in India," Bhargava was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He said there are people who feel that there is no need to be frightened from the pandemic and there are those who are very cautious.
"I think you may find cases in people who are very cautious as well. But they (cautious people) are not driving the pandemic, but it is less cautious people who are driving the pandemic," he said.
Echoing similar views, Dr Raman Kumar, President of the Academy of Family Physicians of India, said, there is enough evidence to suggest that wearing masks plays a preventive role against COVID-19.
"Studies have confirmed that places where people followed mask-wearing habits, there were lower COVID-19 cases and a lower number of deaths were reported. When people remove masks casually and don't wear them in crowded places, they not only put themselves in the risk of infection but also become an infection threat for others. It is important that people make mask wearing a routine to win the war against COVID-19," he said.
According to the Health Ministry, India's COVID-19 case count was over 31.67 lakh with 60,975 new cases on Tuesday.