Experts had warned that children and slum dwellers could be at risk during the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the number of positive cases is on the rise among kids, the infection rate seems to be increasing in high rises only. Taking cognisance of the issue, the BMC even sealed many buildings and floors in the past week. Interestingly, not a single slum pocket in the city was declared a containment zone.

Containment zones (CZ) in slums were first created during the first wave, when the pockets started reporting a cluster of cases. The zones prohibit entry and exit of residents behind the boundary and thus help curb the spread of infection. During the first wave, the number of CZs reached beyond 700, and then the civic body had started to close the entrance of slums rather than small patches for better management. Almost all the slums were in containment zones at least once, and some faced stricter restrictions for months.