<p>The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have taken a toll on working persons in West Bengal who have to go out regularly to attend office since the phased unlocking process started in the country.</p>.<p>According to sources in the Health Department 18,541 persons were infected with the virus in the state since the unlocking process started and 80 per cent of them belong to the age group of 16 to 60 years who are mainly working persons.</p>.<p>As for the reason behind such high number of cases in the age group of 16 to 60 years Health Department officials said that people in the age group are mainly working persons who have to travel regularly using public transport-especially buses-where maintaining social distancing is extremely difficult. With most organizations resuming operations after unlocking their employees have very few choices but to travel daily for work.</p>.<p>They also said that such high number of cases in the state after unlocking shows that social distancing was not just properly maintained in public transport but also in offices belonging both to private and public sector.</p>.<p>Recently government employees working in offices such as the State Secretariat and Swasthhya Bhavan (Heath Department head office) tested positive for Covid-19 following which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that government offices will function with only 50 per cent staff strength. She also urged private companies to provide work from home option to its employees as much as possible.</p>.<p>According to sources 29.3 per cent belonged to the age group of 16 to 30 years. People the age group of 31 to 45 years comprised of 27.2 per cent of the infected after unlocking begun.</p>.<p>They further revealed that people in the age group of 61 to 75 years comprised of 12.9 per cent of the infected in the state after unlocking and 3.2 per cent were more than 75 years old.</p>.<p>According to Health Department officials whereas during lockdown the rate of infection between men and women were men and women was more or less the same but with unlocking there has been spike in cases where men got infected.</p>.<p>Out of the 18,541 cases in the state after unlocking 71 per cent (13,165) were men and 29 per cent (5,376) were women.</p>
<p>The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have taken a toll on working persons in West Bengal who have to go out regularly to attend office since the phased unlocking process started in the country.</p>.<p>According to sources in the Health Department 18,541 persons were infected with the virus in the state since the unlocking process started and 80 per cent of them belong to the age group of 16 to 60 years who are mainly working persons.</p>.<p>As for the reason behind such high number of cases in the age group of 16 to 60 years Health Department officials said that people in the age group are mainly working persons who have to travel regularly using public transport-especially buses-where maintaining social distancing is extremely difficult. With most organizations resuming operations after unlocking their employees have very few choices but to travel daily for work.</p>.<p>They also said that such high number of cases in the state after unlocking shows that social distancing was not just properly maintained in public transport but also in offices belonging both to private and public sector.</p>.<p>Recently government employees working in offices such as the State Secretariat and Swasthhya Bhavan (Heath Department head office) tested positive for Covid-19 following which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that government offices will function with only 50 per cent staff strength. She also urged private companies to provide work from home option to its employees as much as possible.</p>.<p>According to sources 29.3 per cent belonged to the age group of 16 to 30 years. People the age group of 31 to 45 years comprised of 27.2 per cent of the infected after unlocking begun.</p>.<p>They further revealed that people in the age group of 61 to 75 years comprised of 12.9 per cent of the infected in the state after unlocking and 3.2 per cent were more than 75 years old.</p>.<p>According to Health Department officials whereas during lockdown the rate of infection between men and women were men and women was more or less the same but with unlocking there has been spike in cases where men got infected.</p>.<p>Out of the 18,541 cases in the state after unlocking 71 per cent (13,165) were men and 29 per cent (5,376) were women.</p>
