Compliance on wearing masks, physical distancing declining: Survey

Indians appear to be lacking in adhering to Covid-19 protocols with a new survey claiming that the compliance on wearing of masks and maintaining physical distance are falling.

The survey by LocalCircles claimed that only 30% of the respondents felt that there was effective compliance on wearing masks as against 67% in September last year.

Only 12% now believe that physical distancing is being implemented effectively. The survey in September last year did not cover this aspect.

Read | Not to be sniffed at: Agony of post-Covid-19 loss of smell

On masks, the survey claimed 30% said that there was good compliance while another 51% said that there was "limited" compliance and 18% claimed there was no compliance at all.

Based on locations, the survey claimed, 35% in Tier-I locations found compliance

When the data was analysed based on locations, citizens who said that compliance was effective in Tier-I locations was 35% while those who rated it as effective in Tier-II locations was 29% and in Tier-III and IV and rural locations at 19%.

Read | The big question: Can the world learn to live with Covid-19?

This indicated that compliance with wearing masks was decreasing in semi-urban and rural India compared to metros, the survey said.

The decline in compliance comes even as in many countries around the world, citizens are upgrading masks and moving to KN-95 or N-95 masks, and some are even wearing double basic masks for protection, it said.

"Various reasons cited by citizens for not wearing masks included discomfort, no or poor enforcement by most local authorities, and the declining caseloads in their area," it said.

Read | India reports 10,584 new Covid-19 cases, 78 deaths

"There is also a sense of weariness of pandemic setting off for most citizens as the Government relaxed all lockdown restrictions," it added.

When it comes to physical distancing compliance, the survey claimed that 56% feel there is practically no physical distancing followed while 12% said there is good compliance and 31% felt there is limited compliance.

In Tier-I locations, compliance was 15%, while those who rated it as effective in Tier-II locations was 10%, and those who rated it as effective in Tier-III and IV and rural locations was 7.5%.