Need to step out on weekends, unwind after WFH: Professionals

BENGALURU: Many working professionals believe they work hard five or six days a week and need the weekends for relaxing and rejuvenating themselves.
Multiple working professionals TOI spoke with said the recent guidelines issued by the state government have raised several questions. Night curfew from 10pm to 5am, 50% occupancy at cinema halls, auditoriums and other similar places, and weekend curfew are among them.
Abhiram H, a working professional, said, “We work very hard during weekdays and need a break on weekends. Especially as we are working from home, we need to step out at least on weekends.”
The professionals say they are completely on board with night curfew and the 50% cap on theatre occupancy, but are concerned only about the weekend curfew.
Suhas Niranjan said, “The city was unprepared for the first wave of the pandemic. But during the second wave, a significant number of people experienced struggle after contracting Covid. Citizens are likely to be more cautious this time by not letting their guard down at any cost.”
Many said they are only asking for places to be open even during the weekends with the very same restrictions, and the number of people who step out on weekdays might increase making the weekend curfew redundant.
Nidhi Shetty K, another young IT professional from the city, said, “With WFH getting extended for most IT firms, it becomes very difficult for us if we can’t get out for a bit. Man is a social animal. Staying at home during weekends and jumping right back to work might just start affecting work.” She further said, “However, we understand the seriousness of the virus and the consequences of not taking adequate precautions.”
Akshay AG, an IT professional, said, “After having witnessed the horrors of the second wave, we can understand why the government took this decision. But we are hoping it finds a way to enforce Covid-appropriate behaviour in a stricter way and gives us relief.”
Traders rattled as well
Sajjan Raj Mehta, trade activist said, “Since March 2020, traders have been merely surviving. We have not made profit or found scope to improve our businesses. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have shown full cooperation to the government not just as traders but citizens. At least out of respect for that, they must hear us out this time. They need to issue revised guidelines and maybe allow the city to open only for a couple of hours on weekends.”
PC Rao, president, Bangalore Hoteliers Association, said, “Ours is a business that thrives during weekends and hence the curfew is going to be a big blow. It is highly unlikely that the spread happens only during weekends. Experts have made it abundantly clear that the third wave is going to be mild and yet the government is taking decisions that directly affect our day-to-day business.”
Manoj Padikkal, general secretary, Karnataka Salon and Wellness Owners Associations, said, “Since March 2020, 40% of the salons in the city have closed. Salons see their clients mostly during weekends. Although the new guidelines do not specifically mention that salons and spas are not supposed to be open on weekends, if public movement is itself restricted, we have to assume that we also have to lose out on business. We are on board with allowing only double-jabbed clients.”