Amid Covid surge, Puducherry makes face masks mandatory in public places

The Pondicherry administration on Friday made mask wearing compulsory in the union territory with immediate effect owing to the rise in number of Covid-19 cases.District Collector E Vallavan said with the union territory currently witnessing a surge in coronavirus positive cases, the territorial administration has enforced with immediate effect a slew of precautionary measures "to minimise the risk of increase in transmission of Covid-19 in the coming days."

Vallavan, who is Member-Secretary of the Executive committee of the Disaster Management Authority here, told reporters "public shall compulsory wear masks in public places, on the beach road, parks and theatres."He said the government has also issued an order enforcing the "precautionary measures in the whole of the Union Territory of Puducherry with immediate effect and there would be focus on test, track, treat and vaccination."Vallavan said the public "should adhere to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour of wearing masks maintaining hand hygiene and physical distancing enforced in the while of the Union Territory of Puducherry."Wearing of mask is compulsory in public places, on beach road, parks and theatres, he added.Staff working in hospitals, hotels, bars, restaurants, liquor shops, hospitality and entertainment sectors, government offices and commercial establishments should compulsorily wear masks, the Collector said.