Night Curfews, Covid-19 Appropriate Behaviour In New Rules For States

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New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday asked states to step up efforts to contain corona virus cases especially in areas where a spike has been reported in recent weeks. Issuing a set of guidelines that will be effective from December 1, the Home Ministry suggested measures including local restrictions such as night curfews, stricter enforcement of containment zones and encouraging “Covid-appropriate” behaviour.

The centre said states can impose additional fines and curbs on gatherings but there can’t be any lockdown outside containment zones without its permission.

The government call for stricter enforcement of existing rules like mask-wearing, social distancing and said it will issue formal rules for markets and weekly bazaars.

India’s coronavirus caseload passed 90 lakh last week with a surge in places like New Delhi, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh where hospitals came under increasing pressure.

The world’s second-worst-hit country, India has now also registered more than 1.34 lakh deaths from COVID-19, according to the latest official figures, which are widely seen as understating the true scale of infection.

The country has seen a drop in daily cases over the past month but it is still registering about 45,000 new infections on average every day.

New Delhi, facing the dual scourge of winter pollution and coronavirus, has seen infections soar to nearly 5.5 lakh with a record rise in daily cases.

The capital’s government quadrupled fines for not wearing a mask or violating safety rules to get a grip on the outbreak.

Several other states like Punjab, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh have announced night curfews.

The centre has dispatched special teams to help bring cases down to several states and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a meeting with Chief Ministers of the eight worst-hit ones.

India imposed a strict lockdown in March but restrictions have been gradually eased as the government seeks to reboot the economy after the loss of lakhs of jobs.

Experts say this has helped spread the disease, as has a general reluctance to wear masks, maintain physical distancing and celebrations during the festive season.

Here is the full text of the official government release:

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an Order today with Guidelines for Surveillance, Containment and Caution, which will be effective from December 1, 2020 and to remain in force upto31.12.2020.

The main focus of the Guidelines is to consolidate the substantial gains that have been achieved against the spread of COVID-19 which is visible in the steady decline in number of active cases in the country. Further, keeping in view the recent spike in new cases in few States/ UTs, ongoing festival season and onset of winter, it is emphasised that to fully overcome the pandemic, there is need to maintain caution and to strictly follow the prescribed containment strategy, focussed on surveillance, containment and strict observance of the guidelines/ SOPs issued by MHA and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW).

Local district, police and municipal authorities shall be responsible to ensure that the prescribed Containment measures are strictly followed. States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions, with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Surveillance and Containment

States/ UTs to ensure careful demarcation of Containment Zones by the district authorities, at the micro level, taking into consideration the guidelines prescribed by MoHFW in this regard. The list of Containment Zones will be notified on the websites by the respective District Collectors and by the States/ UTs. This list will also be shared with MoHFW.

Within the demarcated Containment Zones, containment measures, as prescribed by MoHFW, shall be scrupulously followed, which includes:

Only essential activities shall be allowed in the Containment Zones.

There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services.

There shall be intensive house-to-house surveillance by surveillance teams formed for the purpose.Testing shall be carried out as per prescribed protocol.

Listing of contacts shall be carried out in respect of all persons found positive, along with their tracking, identification, quarantine and follow up of contacts for 14 days (80 percent of contacts to be traced in 72 hours).

Quick isolation of COVID-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities/ home (subject to fulfilling the home isolation guidelines).Clinical interventions, as prescribed, shall be administered.

Surveillance for ILI/ SARI cases shall be carried out in health facilities or outreach mobile units or through fever clinics in buffer zones.

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