India’s COVID-19 crisis: Health official urges wearing of masks at all times, even at home

A senior Indian health official urged people Monday to wear masks at all times, even in their homes, as the country’s COVID-19 cases continued to surge and saw a fifth day in a row where infections hit a global daily record, with 352,991 new cases. India also saw its highest daily death toll Monday, with 2,812 people having died due to COVID-19. “Earlier, we used to wear masks while going out of our homes, but, as the infections are increasing... and if anyone gets infected inside our homes, then we should wear masks,“ Dr. VK Paul, a member of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). Mass cremations are happening in places like New Delhi as hospitals have put out notices in several cities that they are unable to cope with the rush of patients. With less than two per cent of people fully vaccinated and less than 10 per cent having even received one shot, people across India are rushing to vaccination centres amid the surge in cases, but some are be