As the second wave of Covid-19 takes hold, the government has asked the public to strictly observe safety protocols wearing masks and maintaining social distance when they are out in public places.

“We have started this drive [to hold people] from Monday as people didn’t heed the call to follow safety measures,” said Superintendent of Police Sushil Singh Rathore, spokesperson of the Metropolitan Traffic Police Office, Ranipokhari.

According to the police, Kathmandu has 82 holding centres and Lalitpur over a dozen to hold people not wearing masks.

“Now onwards there will be regular monitoring of people on the road, as the number of cases is growing exceedingly high,” said Rahthore.

On Sunday the country reported 28 more Covid-19 related fatalities with 3,032 news cases. Kathmandu Valley recorded 1,498 new infections. Of them, 1,132 cases were confirmed in Kathmandu, 270 in Lalitpur and 96 in Bhaktapur.

Rahthore said those not wearing masks are kept in the holding centers and made to attend a 20-minute class on the new virant of Covid-19, its effects and precautionary measures.

Although Kathmandu Metropolitan City is just limited in miking to call on people to wear masks and maintain social distancing, and keep elderly at home, Lalitpur Metropolitan City has been distributing masks in public places and even in public vehicles through its city police.

“In the past four days we have distributed masks to 2,100 people for free,” said Sitaram Hachethu, chief of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Police.

“Only those who come from villages are found not wearing masks but the majority of people have started wearing masks,”said Hachethu.

He also informed that 40 city police personnel are going around the city area wearing masks, making people aware of the need to wear masks and maintain social distancing and following other health protocols to avoid the coronavirus.