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In fresh guidelines for district-wise unlocking, health ministry lists 3 main criteria
As the number of daily cases of Covid-19 have come down, there have been announcements from chief ministers about removing the restrictions and allowing limited activities.
The Union health ministry on Tuesday laid down new rules for taking a district out of lockdown-like curbs imposed due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Many state government imposed strict curbs to check the spread of the infection when second wave of Covid-19 was at its peak.
Now, as the number of daily cases have come down, there have been announcements from some chief ministers about removing a few restrictions and allowing limited activities.
According to new guidelines announced by the Union health ministry, unlocking would depend on less then 5% positivity rate in the district being considered for opening up. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the positivity rate should remain below 5% for at least two weeks before an outbreak can be considered to be under control.
The ministry guidelines further say that 70% of the vulnerable population - those above the age of 60 and 45 and above with comorbidities - must have received vaccination doses. The rules also call for community ownership of Covid-appropriate behaviour.
India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh announced relaxation in Covid-19 curbs on Sunday. After chairing a review meeting, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that districts where less than 600 cases of the coronavirus disease are reported, can see shops opening for longer time.
On Monday and Tuesday, the list of such districts were expanded to include nine more zones. The revised order came into effect from June 1.
Similarly, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced on Twitter on Monday that some extra concessions will be made in the 'corona curfew' for business activities.
As per the revised guidelines, which would come into effect from June 2, shops dealing in essential items like grocery, vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish, will be allowed to do business from 6am to 2pm.
Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan too have announced relaxations from June 2. The unlock process began in national capital Delhi from May 31, with easing of restrictions on industrial units.
