NEW DELHI: Within seven weeks of lockdown that began on April 18, the national capital has seen daily Covid cases steadily coming down from a high of 3,000-6,000 to just below 500-1000 this week, and the test positivity rate has also declined from 2-3% to 0.75-1% during this period.
There has also been an increase in the availability of ICU beds and ventilators in both private and public hospitals with the recovery rate rising.
While the number of Covid fatalities in Delhi remains high with 100-150 deaths a day, it has recorded a decline in daily active cases.
In a move to contain and mitigate the spread, the Delhi government in the last 1 month extended the ongoing lockdown in the city five times by 1 week.
The process of unlocking started on May 30, after 54% of citizens were found in favour of unlocking via LocalCircles platform.
However, the lockdown is still extended till 5 am June 7.
To understand what the people of Delhi want post-June 7 in regarding the extension of lockdown, LocalCircles conducted another survey that received over 9,000 responses from residents across all 11 districts of Delhi.
67% of the respondents were men while 33% were women.
Taking cognizance of the 500-1,000 daily caseloads and 0.75-1% test positivity rate in Delhi, the survey sought residents of Delhi’s view if they support the further imposition of a lockdown/curfew in the city after June 7th.
In response, 49% of citizens said “end the lockdown/curfew and just impose night/weekend curfew”, 25% said “end the curfew/lockdown and remove all restrictions” while 26% said “extend it by 1 week.” The findings of the poll indicate that 74% of residents support unlocking in Delhi from June 7.
This question in the survey received 9,382 responses.
Percentage of Delhi residents in favour of Unlocking increase by 5 times in the last monthLocalCircles survey conducted on March 28 had indicated that only 16% of residents of Delhi were in favour of imposing the lockdown in the city.
With an unprecedented rise in cases, shortages of oxygen, and people seeing their contacts in social networks struggling to find hospital and ICU beds, Covid management drugs, etc., and losing their lives in many cases have now largely understood the criticality of the situation.
As a result, 59% on April 15 and 68% of residents of Delhi surveyed on April 23 were in favour of a lockdown/curfew for at least 1 week.
The percentage of residents of Delhi voting in favour of lockdown on April 29 was 75%, which increased to 85% on May 7 and fell to 74% on May 13.
Delhi saw a steady decline in daily cases one month into the lockdown.
Subsequently, the percentage of Delhi residents in favour of extending lockdown started to decline.
On May 20, 68% of citizens were in favour of extending the lockdown, which declined to 45% on May 27, and further declined to 26% this week.
The poll indicates that the percentage of Delhi residents in favour of unlocking increased 5 times in the last month.
There has been an increase in the percentage of citizens in favour of unlocking in the past week, 49% of citizens are still in favour of unlocking, while imposing night/weekend curfew.
The steady decline in daily average cases and a low positivity rate have given citizens hope.
However, the death rate remains high in Delhi with a 1.5-2% fatality rate.
The government of Delhi must ensure that the unlocking process is carried out in a phased manner to minimise the risk of spread Covid in the city.
Citizens of Delhi have suggested that retail stores be opened only for home deliveries in the first week followed by opening with reduced schedule in the second week.
If cases do not rise during this 2-week period, a full schedule opening of stores and markets may be permitted from June 21st.