Spitting in public will worsen the pandemic

                                                            Stop Spitting in Public

All over the world, 178 countries are affected of Covid 19. These countries are grappling with a deadly  ongoing pandemic. There have been about 14.4 million confirmed cases and 605,720 deaths globally by now. Although, coughing, sneezing, hand-shaking, talking in close proximity, etc. are mainly responsible for spreading corona virus among the public, spitting is also one of the reasons.

In different parts of the world, several cases of spit attack were also reported. It is not possible to tell the exact number of cases throughout the world, but their number has steadily risen. Spit attack has become a worry in India after Italy, Australia, US and UK. In India, a 40-year-old man was arrested recently for spitting on a woman and calling her ‘corona virus’ in North Delhi. The woman, who faced the abuse, hails from Manipur and many social media users had termed the attack on her as racist.

Though, spitting saliva, gutka or tobacco in public places has been prohibited in 25 States and Union Territories and violation of this attract the penalty for offenders, spitting does not seem to stop in India. Indians frequently spit everywhere while walking, while driving their vehicle or from their seats in moving buses. This not only spreads infection of virus but also is ill-mannered and nothing less than a crime during pandemic. Medical advice discreetly says that spit poses a covid 19 transmission risk. I wonder why people are not refraining from doing it. 

To make this problem a public recognition, especially during pandemic, a massive campaign should be launched at every corner of the country through mass media, social media and print media. During the campaign, lessons around spitting and its etiquette should be taught to the public. It must be explained that why they must avoid in the public and if at all its urgent, it must be done with full caution with the use of napkin, etc. They should also be informed that they must not go outside or attend work, if they have symptoms like running nose, sore throat or sneezing. A few state administrations have appealed to the public to follow sneezing and coughing etiquettes which should be focused during the campaign.

Awareness of disastrous effects of spitting must be publicized more in rural and urban slum areas where a large number of people are illiterate and are not behaving responsibly. The policy-makers should put pressure on defaulters and encourage the community to take action against such people. They may be forced to clean the place so that they will watch their actions from next time and keep their vicinity clean. A biker in Chandigarh was made to clean the road by traffic volunteers in the city after he was caught spitting on the road. More such actions should be done which can set a good example and can help in implementing the laws framed for this.

There seems to be no fear of laws among the public and they are frequently spitting in public places and on road side. It clearly speaks that people are still very casual about it, the laws remain on paper and not many people care. 

Though, there are laws against spitting, the government has made a point of walking around them. They really have to pull up their socks Besides, the general attitude of the public, the common culture of betel and tobacco chewing, and low priority for hygiene keeps the practice going. Times have changed now. We are dealing with pandemic and now is the time to not only learn our lessons but also implement them. 

On a serious note, a lot has to be done to keep the virus away. Let us imbibe some good practices for the benefit of everyone.