Celebrate Festivals At Home, Full Vaccination Essential If Attending Mass Gatherings: Govt

"People should celebrate festivals at home, follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and embrace vaccination," NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said.

New Delhi: With Coronavirus cases on the rise pushing India close to a possible third wave, Union Health Ministry on Thursday urged people to avoid mass gatherings, especially during the festive season. 

Health Ministry also said that full vaccination against Covid-19 should be a prerequisite if attending gatherings is essential. 

Mass gatherings should be discouraged but if attending it is essential then full vaccination should be a prerequisite, the Union government said, urging people to get the jabs and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially during the festive season.

In a press conference, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan warned that the second wave of coronavirus infection in India was not yet over even though the weekly positivity rate was showing an overall declining trend.

Government warning comes on the backdrop of arriving festive season that includes Durga Puja, Diwali celebrations. Such festivals witness massive crowds in markets and mass gatherings at various religious places, malls, etc.

In view of the upcoming festive season amid the scare of the third wave of COVID-19 infections striking the country, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said mass gatherings have to be discouraged and full vaccination should be a prerequisite if attending such a congregation is essential.

"People should celebrate festivals at home, follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and embrace vaccination," NITI Aayog member (Health) V K Paul said.

India recorded 47,092 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, its highest number of daily cases in over two months. 

During the presser, Bhushan also pointed out that 39 districts in the country reported over 10 per cent weekly Covid positivity rate in the week ending August 31 while in 38 districts it was between 5 and 10 per cent.

The Health Ministry official also asserted that 16 per cent of India's adult population have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine while 54 per cent have been administered at least the first dose.