Maharashtra Govt Likely To Make Face Masks Mandatory Amid Spike In Covid Cases

“If Covid-19 cases continue to rise, then we will have to make the wearing of masks compulsory,” ANI quoted Tope as saying.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope (File Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday said the state government might make it mandatory for people to wear face masks if the Covid-19 cases continue to witness a rise.

“If Covid-19 cases continue to rise, then we will have to make the wearing of masks compulsory,” ANI quoted Tope as saying.

“As of now, we have asked people to wear it voluntarily but if it (Covid cases) increases then will have to think about it,” he added in Mumbai.

Tope said the state government aims to speed up the Covid vaccination programme.

The Health Minister assured that all possible steps will be taken to ensure Covid vaccination, especially among children in the state.

“We are monitoring the situation in the state. Our focus is to boost vaccination for kids in the state. The vaccination programme will start soon,” Tope said.

“It will be difficult for us but we will make every possible effort to complete the task,” he added.

The country’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 189.17 crores as per provisional reports till 7 a.m. today, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a release.

The ministry added that this has been achieved through 2,33,70,192 sessions.

The Covid-19 vaccination for the 12 to 14 years age group was started earlier on March 16.

So far, more than 2.90 crore adolescents have been administered with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.74%.

The ministry said 2,876 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, adding the cumulative tally of recovered patients since the beginning of the Covid pandemic is now at 4,25,36,253.

3,324 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours.