PANJIM: It seems COVID-19 is all set to gatecrash into Goa’s New Year party scene and have a blast as quite a few mega new year eve shows, besides political rallies and crowded wedding venues, could possibly turn into super spreaders and spike the cases to a new high.
The State, in the very same month last year began to report spike in COVID-19 cases while the government had then too refused to impose night curfew. Sans strict SOPs, the situation amplified into a second wave as a high profile wedding that spanned over 5 days led to surge in total cases.
Situation is similar at the moment as government has refused Expert Committee on COVID-19 management’s recommendation for night curfew, citing tourism. Political meetings cutting across party lines are a regular feature while destination weddings are happening despite Omicron scare.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has admitted that increase in cases is owing to a wedding where guests had arrived from London and Germany. “The case clusters have emerged following two such weddings. We will have to take precautions vis-a-vis weddings. Maximum cases are related to weddings and where persons who have travelled from abroad are involved,” he had recently said while addressing a press conference.
Amidst massive domestic footfalls in addition to charter tourists, Goa is handling several destination weddings of non-Goan clients. A wedding planner, requesting anonymity said that her team is currently handling four weddings where three clients are from North India and one from Gujarat.
“Destination wedding means 3-4 days of event. Hundreds of guests are expected to arrive and certainly foreign-returns too. Safety precautions are emphasized but once guests arrive at the venue, the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is thrown to the wind,” the co-event planner said.
“It is the wedding season. The surge in cases was expected but not this sudden. Nevertheless, my clients have less than 200 visitors; however; COVID-19 norms will be insisted upon,” another wedding planner said.
Hundreds and thousands of tourists are scattered across Goa and the evidence is the rush outside casinos, beaches and restaurants besides streets. In addition to these, series of New Year parties and gala events, protest by Aangawadi workers followed by a clash with the police on Wednesday, chain hunger strike by displaced vendors outside GMC, protest by Goa Forward Party in Fatorda are just a few to mention about how these incidents also pose risk for the spread of corona infection.
No masks, no social distancing and spitting in public spaces could prove a disaster for Goa, which was once country’s first Green Zone.
