After the Maharashtra government lifted its mask mandate, now there are indications that Goa will follow suit after CM Pramod Sawant said that Goa will soon be 'mask-free'. But doctors are now worried about the consequences of the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Some doctors have come out and said that the decision to remove the mask in some states was too hasty.
The discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus, Omicron XE, in the country has raised fears once again. Some doctors say the decision to lift mask mandates could be dangerous for the state in the wake of the new Coronavirus variant. The XE variant is, according to health experts, more transmissible and was spotted for the first time in India last week. The victim is a 67-year-old Gujarat man who had travelled from Mumbai to Vadodara and had tested positive upon arrival.
Goa is currently experiencing an influx of tourists after a dip in tourism activity due to Covid19 restrictions. The slowdown after the third wave and the consequent significant increase in tourists could once again increase the risk of positive cases rising in Goa. Restrictions on entry into Goa have also been relaxed. The coronavirus testing rate is also relatively low. It is feared that even if the law on mask mandate is removed, there will be another outbreak of coronavirus in the state.
