Public Enemy No 1 during Covid-19 Scare! City Cardiologist Urges Dist Admin to Ban Paan & Gutka Shops
Public Enemy No 1 during Covid-19 Outbreak! City Cardiologist Dr Padmanabha Kamath- Interventional Cardiologist at Kasturba Medical college & Hospital, Mangaluru Urges District Administration to Ban Paan, Jarda & Gutka Petty Shops in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: When the Government, district administration, and Mangaluru City Corporation said that shops selling essentials/commodities could stay open from 7 am till 12 noon, did the petty shops selling gutka, paan, cigarettes, jarda etc also came under that category. I guess not – and if that’s the case how come the DC, Police Commissioner, MCC and Health dept authorities aren’t taking any action against such gutka/pann selling petty shops, who are selling their products through their shop back doors or with half door shut. Sources reveal that about Coronavirus Outbreak, that ‘Spitting In Public Is Not Just Gross, It’s A Health Hazard’, as per Experts and doctors, and one city Cardiologist who has noted quite a few such shops selling tobacco products had brought to the notice of Team Mangalorean, and wanted to highlight the same in Mangalorean.com- and that Cardiologist is Dr Padmanabha Kamath- Interventional Cardiolgist at KMC, Mangaluru.
Dr Padmanabha Kamath- Interventional Cardiologist at KMC, Mangaluru
Spitting in public places is very common in India but according to experts the spit can be dangerous to public health since COVID-19 spreads through droplets, and forget about entire India, and for that matter it is happening in this Smart City aka Educational Hub. ‘Stop Spitting Movement’ is the need of the hour to break this habit among people as saliva carries live germs for more than 24 hours and can cause the spread of COVID-19 and many other diseases, While currently, the whole world is struggling to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus as it has spread to 177 countries infecting more than 7.2 lakh people and causing more than 34,000 fatalities worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (on March 30)- and while countries have been enforcing a complete lockdown to keep people at a distance from each other along with urging them to maintain hygiene and practice proper hand washing, however, not enough focus is being given on stopping people from spitting in open or in public places. According to Dr Kamath, spitting can cause the spread of COVID-19 as the saliva of an infected person can carry the virus for more than 24 hours.
Team Mangalorean also captured on camera, when the Cops busted the paanwala selling gutka, cigarettes from behind his petty shop, near Vanas Restaurant in Kadri- and a warning was given
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Dr Padmanabha Kamath said, ” This is Public enemy No-1, that even during Covid -19 times sales of these tobacco products are unaffected. Chewing and spitting will eventually result in a bigger health hazard. ( including Covid through droplets). It’s time that Government and district admin bans these tobacco substances before it is too late. Media and electronic can play a big role in creating this awareness, and I am confident that Mangalorean.com as always which highlight civic/health issues etc will highlight this need of the hour issue during the pandemic”.
He further said, “Yes, We all know the dreadful Corona Virus Spreads through fomites and droplets. If you look at the larger picture these Panmasala, Tobacco and Zarda are sold rampantly in all the petty shops across the city. After chewing them normal response is to spit it out and there comes the biggest health hazard for others. Iurge upon the district administration and the Government to take stern action on these issues and unless we ban the sale of these substances how can we prevent them from spitting in public? He further said that it is the high time that a public movement is started against spitting as the country has done against open defecation. NGO’s and other social organizations should start with, anti paan spitting drive must be taken up on war footing, and try stop all these petty shops selling gutka, jarda etc”
Well said by Dr Kamath, and also for his efforts in trying to ban such shops in the City during lockdown which harm the citizens in time of covid-19. This sickening habit can make people’s life infectious. Many people have this habit of spitting anywhere and everywhere- while walking, while driving their vehicles or being driven. Just look at the red stains on the walls, buildings, streets etc from spitting. Roads and public places are nothing more than bathrooms for them where they can unleash a stream of saliva directly in the path of people. Saliva carries live germs for more than 24 hours and can cause every respiratory disease including COVID-19 especially because it is caused by respiratory droplets and transmission may occur when these droplets enter the mouths, noses, or eyes of people who are nearby. Also, the spit does not just contain saliva but sometimes it also has mucus which is a habitat of many kinds of germs.
In a journal it reveals that if a person is on the receiving end of the spit, they must avoid touching that area until washed with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer. And if the spit ends up on clothes, then one must change clothes as soon as possible and wash hands after wards. Further recommendation are disinfecting those clothes by washing in hot water. Practising proper spit etiquette’s is important. If spitting seems unavoidable when in public places, do it discreetly and with caution. Consider carrying tissues for spit and mucus and dispose those of promptly after the use. Avoid going out if you have cold symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, or sneezing.
Taking heed of the public health hazards posed by the act of spitting, the state of Gujarat has recently banned it. This ban on spitting in public spaces has been put in place in order to curb the virus from spreading. While imposing the ban, the decision was taken to stop the practice harmful for public health, and if caught spitting, person will be fined Rs. 500. So why not such action is not taken in Karnataka, and for matter, at least in Mangaluru, especially during covid-19 scare. Even the state of Uttar Pradesh has also taken a step towards discouraging spitting by banning the sale of ‘paan-masala’ which is consumed by many in the state.
And while Ramakrsihna Mission for five years had taken up the Swachh Mangaluru Campaign-a citizen initiative working for a clean, green city, and also many other organizations and institutions has urged the government/district admin to make spitting punishable by law because of the public health risks associated with it- but not much has been done in this regard. And now during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, awareness of the disastrous effects of spitting must be publicized in all media, along with imposing penalties on anyone found spitting in public places or offices, say experts, including Dr Kamath.
While Coronavirsu cases in India have crossed 1,000 mark with 1000 plus reported cases including 100 plus recoveries and over 30 deaths, and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 announcing a 21-day lockdown in the entire country to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that ‘social distancing’ is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly- but a bunch of Covidiots are just ignoring the guidelines in order to contain Covid-19. Therefore, it is the time of the hour to see that the disease doesn’t spread more- and the district admin should take quick action in banning sale of tobacco products/paan etc-let’s all join to keep the City Clean from Spit, and also stay SAFE from such spitting by these Covidiots?
