Haryana removes all Covid-19 restrictions

However, the order issued by chief secretary-cum-Chairperson of the state executive committee Sanjeev Kaushal, also asked residents to continue following the health protocol including face masks and social distancing.

The Haryana government on Wednesday removed all Covid-19 related restrictions from the state due to decline in cases. The decision comes after the Centre asked all states to review additional covid curbs over the current situation.

A worker in PPE coveralls chemically disinfects the premises at a school, in Gurugram. (HT Photo)

However, the order issued by chief secretary-cum-Chairperson of the state executive committee Sanjeev Kaushal, also asked residents to continue following the health protocol including face masks and social distancing.

The Centre issued a notice to all states and union territories in which it asked the respective governments to review and amend covid curbs. "Presently, as the case trajectory across the nation is showing a sustained downward trend, it will be useful if states/UTs review and amend/do away with the additional restrictions so imposed after considering the trend of new cases, active cases and positivity within the state and UT," Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated in the letter.

In its last advisory, the Haryana government had allowed all offices, including private ones to function at full capacity. Besides, the gathering of more than 100 persons was also allowed, however, a written permission from the deputy commissioner was mandatory.

Further, the Haryana government had also allowed entertainment parks and B2B exhibitions to reopen with 50 per cent capacity.

Besides Haryana, Uttarakhand has also removed night curfew after the Centre's letter.

India was hit by the third wave of Covid-19 late December last year during which the number of daily cases rose exponentially. In view of the upward trajectory, certain states had imposed additional restrictions including night and weekend curfews, cap on number of people allowed at weddings and other social gatherings etc.

However, as the wave, mostly led by the highly transmissible variant Omicron has come down with the daily caseload hovering below the 50,000 mark. On Wednesday the country logged 30,615 new cases, while the positivity rate reported to be at 2.45 per cent. On Tuesday, it was at 3.63 per cent.