bengaluru people may have to continue wearing facemasks for some more time although the third wave of covid19 is receding the technical advisory committee tac advised the rule should be continued till december at leastofficials said the state has decided to enforce covidappropriate behaviour cab tentatively till the yearend the health department sought tacs advice about masks following an rti query in which the applicant sought to know when the government would lift cab rules that mandate wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing tac chairman dr mk sudarshan said our opinion is that the government should ensure people wear masks until we are convinced the pandemic has completely gone the end of the pandemic will be declared by the world health organisation followed by the declaration of the government of india let us wait he said there are predictions about a fourth wave between june and october and rules should continue at least for two months after thatthe mathematical analysis about the prediction of the next wave is under peer review and we have no clue about the nature of the new variant of the virus that can cause it while the hope is that existing vaccines will take care of new variants only adherence to cab will reduce the risk he saidofficials said the third wave has touched its baseline after hitting the peak in january and reaching the endemic stage with new cases hovering around 200 daily and the test positivity rate below 05 mark they said while the government is watching developments carefully the focus is on preparedness for any eventualitythe next six months will be crucial and its important people behave responsibly the government will take a call on relaxing rules at an appropriate time and till then there is no other option but to wear masks in closed spaces and follow other norms said dr kv thrilok chandra special commissioner health bruhat bengaluru mahanagara palikethe general concern is inconvenience to people and harassment by enforcement authorities with the government continuing with the imposition of a penalty of rs 250 for not wearing a maskdomain experts cautioned people about the pandemic it is inconvenience versus risk were relieved the third wave is gone but people should remember the virus has not gone and they must continue wearing masks said dr h sudarshan ballal chairman manipal hospitals