Most citizens still wary of travel in trains, visiting multiplexes: Local Circles
Jul 29, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 29 : As the government considers reopening of gymnasiums, movie theatres, international air travel and metro or local trains when COVID-19 Unlock 2.0 ends on July 31, most citizens interviewed in a recent survey remain cautious.
Only 6 per cent of them said they are willing to visit theatres or multiplexes in the next 60 days and only 9 per cent are willing to go back to the gym.
Just 29 per cent said they will take the metro or local trains in the next 60 days if they are re-started and 62 per cent opposed to starting international flights from August 1.
The survey by community social media platform Local Circles got over 34,000 responses from 255 districts across the country. Nearly 52 per cent of respondents were from tier 1 cities, 26 per cent from tier 2 and 22 per cent from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.
As the COVID-19 cases in India witness a steep hike every day and cinema hall owners ask for reopening of theatres with 50 per cent seating capacity, concerns remain about the airconditioning inside theatres which could spread of the virus from asymptomatic but infected individuals.
Similarly, for many fitness conscious citizens who have the membership to a local gym and have paid annual dues already, not being able to use the gym is a concern.
Nearly 80 per cent or more cases in India have been asymptomatic. The other concern that global infection experts have outlined with regards to opening up of indoor public spaces is that of poor ventilation which holds true in this case.
Most theatres and gymnasiums in India do not have adequate ventilation and could pose a major risk if they were opened, said most respondents.
Earlier, restaurants across the country were allowed to restart operation in Unlock 2.0 from June 1 but the number of customers visiting these restaurants for dining in has been very small.
"This shows that majority of the people are not in a mood to be irresponsible when it comes to COVID-19 and the fate of gymnasiums and multiplexes might end up being the same if they are opened as part of Unlock 3.0," said Local Circles.
