By: Express Web Desk|New Delhi |
Updated: November 26, 2020 8: 10: 03 pm
A bus terminus being screened for Covid signs on Wednesday. (Image: Deepak Joshi)
In the middle of a surge in cases in numerous states and union territories across the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Wednesday launched a new set of standards for “surveillance, containment and care” to mitigate the spread of the infection.
The standards will be effective from December 1, and are set to remain in force till completion of the month. Based upon their assessment of the scenario on ground, states and Union Territories are permitted to enforce regional limitations such as night curfews, but can not implement a local lockdown without previous consultation with the main federal government.
With the fresh set of standards, the Centre has actually now given states the breathing space to enforce any kind of restriction they consider fit as long as they do not obstruct of inter-state movement of both public and goods. The MHA has actually restated that states can not seal borders.
The ministry mentioned that local cops and community authorities are responsible for ensuring that the standards are strictly followed.
Here is a breakdown of the fresh standards provided by the MHA
Security and Containment
States and Union Territories have actually been directed to make sure careful demarcation of containment zones by district authorities at a micro level, taking into consideration the guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in this regard.
Within the demarcated containment zones, all containment determines recommended by the MoHFW must be strictly followed. These include:
— Just vital activities will be allowed the containment zones.
— There will be rigorous boundary control to make sure that people are not moving in or out of these zones, other than in the case of medical emergency situations and for preserving supply of essential services and items.
— Extensive house-to-house security will be performed by monitoring groups formed for this function.
— Evaluating will be performed based on recommended protocol
Markets shut in Shimla on Sunday due to increasing coronavirus cases. (Express Picture by Pradeep Kumar)
— Listing of contacts will be brought in respect of all individuals found favorable, in addition to their tracking, recognition, 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 will be ensured in treatment centers or in your home.
— Medical intervention will be administered as prescribed.
— Surveillance of ILI/ SARI cases shall be carried out in health facilities or outreach mobile systems or through fever clinics in buffer zones.
— Awareness will be developed in neighborhoods on COVID-19 proper behaviour.
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— Local district cops and local authorities are accountable for making sure that the prescribed Containment measures are strictly followed and State/ UT Governments shall guarantee the accountability of the officers concerned in this regard.
Activities allowed outdoors containment zones
According to the brand-new standards, all activities are allowed outside containment zones, other than for the following, which are permitted however with certain limitations.
— Global flight of travelers, as allowed by MHA.
— Cinema halls and theatres, with up to 50 percent capacity.
An employee sterilizing the auditorium prior to the start of a program at PVR Cinemas in New Delhi. (Express picture by Mimansa Shekhar)
— Pool, just for training of sports individuals.
— Exhibit halls, only for organization to company (B2B) functions.
— Social/ spiritual/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ spiritual events, with upto a maximum of 50 percent of the hall capacity, with a ceiling of 200 persons in closed spaces; and keeping of the size of the ground/ space in view, in open areas.
Nevertheless, based upon their assessment, states and UT federal governments might lower the ceiling to 100 people or less in closed areas.
Regional limitations
— Based on their assessment of the Covid scenario on-ground, states and UTs are permitted to impose regional limitations such as night curfews, with a view to contain the spread of Covid-19 They are not permitted to enforce regional lockdowns outside containment zones without previous assessment with the Centre.
— States and UTs are also needed to enforce social distancing in workplaces. In cities where weekly case positivity rate is more than 10 percent, states and UTs can think about implementing staggered office timings and other appropriate measures to decrease the variety of employees participating in workplace at the same time, and therefore ensuring social distancing.
Policemen direct passengers to get themselves checked for Covid-19 at the Delhi-Noida border. (Express Picture by Gajendra Yadav)
— There shall be no constraint on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and excellent including those for cross land-border trade under treaties with neighbouring nations. No separate authorization, approval, or e-permit is needed.
The Centre has actually also asked states and UTs to enforce all necessary measures to promote Covid-19 suitable behaviour such as wearing a face mask, hand health and maintaining sufficient social range.
Susceptible individuals, such as those over the age of 65 or persons with co-morbidities, pregnant females and kids under the age of 10 years, are encouraged to stay at home as far as possible.
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