Government Fears Kumbh Mela Could Become COVID Super Spreader. Should It End Before Time?

Update: The union health ministry took exception to the report by India Today based on an ANI news alert, and labelled this as "fake" and "incorrect". The ministry took exception to the report¡¯s headline claiming the central government had described the congregation as ¡°a super-spreader event¡±.

In the midst of a huge spike in COVID cases all over India, a senior official in the Central government expressed apprehension that the ongoing Kumbh Mela might become a "super spreader", as per TNN.

According to ANI, a top source said that during a Secretary-level meeting over the COVID-19 situation in the country a member said: "If the government does not decide to end Kumbh before the stipulated time, it may become a COVID-19 'super spreader'."

The source further told the agency that the Centre is constituting a team that will take the help of sadhus and religious leaders to urge pilgrims to ensure that they wear masks and follow social distancing during their visit to Kumbh.

PTI

"At the same time, the government also suggested that a message should be given through TV and radio, and posters should be put up at public places to create awareness amongst masses that the pandemic is not over yet," added the source.

However, the Centre is not planning to prematurely conclude the holy congregation.

The government has asked officials to come up with ideas to curb the COVID-19 spread.

The government, as per the source, is mulling running a ¡®Healthy Fear for Corona¡¯ mission to ensure that people remain cautious of the disease and feel discouraged while violating the established health norms.

ANI

The Uttarakhand government has released a set of guidelines as per which people are advised to strictly obey the COVID-19 norms. Moreover, a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours before arrival has been made mandatory for devotees assembling for the Kumbh.

Last month, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary, "strongly" highlighted the concerns raised by the high-level central team during its Uttarakhand visit and about the "need for stringent measures to control the spread of COVID-19 during the ongoing Kumbh" Mela in Haridwar.

Meanwhile, the Centre has already asked the Uttarakhand government to follow all the "stringent measures" to control COVID-19 spread during the Kumbh.

This year, the three major bathing dates (shahi snan) fall on April 12, 14 and 27.

Kumbh takes place every four years at four different locations in India -- Nashik, Haridwar, Prayagraj, and Ujjain.

Usually, Kumbh continues for around four months. However, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the duration of the congregation has been reduced to one month.