Thread by @DrLahariya

In Feb 2020 #SARSCOV2 #COVID19 was
risk to the entire #society

In Apr 2022, COVID-19
it is #individual risk.

Why there shouldn’t be any universal restrictions?

Why schools should remain open?

Why masks should be voluntary?

Context of arguments is #India

A thread 🧵

1/n

In Feb 2022, #SARS CoV2 was a new or novel virus.

Everyone was susceptible as no one had prior immunity.

The risk by age & other factors was unknown & unpredictable.

The only way was ‘universal restriction’
to slow down the transmission, prepare health services

2/n

And developing scientific and epidemiological understanding.

The precautions such as
physical distancing and
face masks also has to be mandatory.

All of These were new to people.

Citizen not following these whd hv increased the risk to other, which was unknown.

3/n

it became responsibility of state to protect health of citizen and to make these measures mandatory by law.

It is accepted public health practice to facilitate that people adhere to healthy behaviour which increase the risk to the others.

4/n

Things Changed in April 2022.

Now, risk is known & not similar all citizen.
fully vaccinated have lower risk.

Elderly r higher risk.

Children & healthy adults are very low risk.

Also, Ppl hv develop immunity after vax or natural infection or both.

Majority r protected

5/n

The risk is now graded, ‘Individual and known’. ( earlier it was for entire society)

Therefore, no point of making any intervention/ measure universal.

Now, approach has to be
‘protect the vulnerable’

Rest can live a normal life, with personalised cautions

6/n

Since risk is graded,
there is no point of making masks universal or mandated.

The virus is all around.
It will stay around, for long.

Therefore, masking is needed but not for all

voluntary masking give people opportunity to pause and make self assessment of risk.

7/n

The best time to plan ‘voluntary masking’ is when transmission is low.

That period in India is Right now.

However, making masks voluntary, does not mean government should not di anything.

It need focus upon science communication to encourage adoption of masks.

8/n

Analogy is being made that if seatbelt’s are not mandatory, no one would wear them.

That is incorrect analogy

We don’t expect people using any mode of transport to wear seat belts.

People in four wheeler or high speed cars wear seatbelt’s.

9/n

Those on motorised two wheelers wear helmets

Those on cycles are not expected to wear either of two.

What to do is always determined by the risk.

Universal masking is akin to expecting a person on cycle to wear a seat belt.

Children are at leat risk.

10/n

The reported infections in children have not come from schools.

Those have been from families and society.

Therefore, no point of closing schools.

In fact, by now it is proven with full evidence that healthy school age children develop mild infection.

11/n

The schools are not contributing to rise in cases.

The benefit of education is far greater than very negligible risk.

Even if a child get infection, it is not a reason for worry or to close even the classroom.

The schools can continue to function.

12/n

Improve ventilation.
Sick child stay home
-
And teachers wear mask.

That’s all.

For more on why schools should remain open, please read earlier threads.

13/n

All COVID-19 preventive measures incl vax & masks r helpful.

The risk now is individual.
This is going 2b a long haul, where mandates or penalty can not go a long way.

low transmission period is time for voluntary adoption.

Give ppl a chance and they will do it.

14/end