Retail, recreation visits show spike in key states during Diwali week

People stepped out more during the Diwali week, with retail and recreation visits showing a spike in key states, shows a Business Standard analysis of search engine Google’s periodic mobility reports.
 

Key states including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Bihar saw between a 4-8 percentage point return to normalcy amid the festival season. The nationwide number was 2.9 per cent.
 

Google’s mobility reports calculate the drop in visits to various categories of places compared to a period of normalcy before Covid-19 restricted movement.  The analysis looked at the seven-day moving average figure for retail and recreation visits as of November 15. This was compared to the figure for the seven days ending November 8. The difference between the two was higher than the national level for at least 7 major states (see chart).
 

Delhi saw a relatively muted rise of 0.9 percentage points. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh also had lower numbers compared the country as a whole.
 

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it expects a spike in cases because of crowding in shopping areas following Diwali festivities, according to an official statement. A Gujarat government release also noted a spike in cases following Diwali in many districts, including Ahmedabad.