Thoughts on Opening Religious Places

The MHA guidelines state that religious places will open up in the first phase of unlock along with hotels and restaurants. I’m baffled by this decision because religious places are the least essential for the economy and the most contagious in terms of spread the virus. I think they should be opened in the third stage along with schools and bars.

We all know what happened at the religious gathering in Nizamuddin in Delhi a while ago. Is the strategy now to create multiple super spreader events all across the country? Is our healthcare system really ready to handle a mega surge in cases?

The point of the lockdown was to flatten the curve and spread out the infections over a longer time period. We seem to have done that. Opening up the economy should start with allowing the most essential activities which have a lowest rate of infection. Opening up religious places doesn’t fit that logic whichever way you look at it.

What am I missing here?