Maha tightens curbs amid Delta+ concerns

Mumbai Maharashtra on Friday tightened restrictions necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, citing fears of a “more severe third wave” and expressing concern over variants of the virus that could pose a challenge in keeping the public health crisis under control

Mumbai Maharashtra on Friday tightened restrictions necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, citing fears of a “more severe third wave” and expressing concern over variants of the virus that could pose a challenge in keeping the public health crisis under control.

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The move comes less than a month after Maharashtra eased restrictions in most districts as cases of the infectious disease declined following the peak of the raging second wave of infections. It announced a five-level easing in restrictions, categorising regions for relaxations according to the trajectory of the infections.

On Friday, the state government scrapped the first two levels, where there were wide relaxations in restrictions, and the said that the minimum level of easing in restrictions will begin from the third category.

Under the new guidelines, malls and theatres in Maharashtra will remain closed, while restaurants will be permitted to operate on weekdays at 50% capacity until 4pm. Gyms, salons and shops will have to be closed at 4pm, while a limit of 50 guests will be imposed on weddings.

The decision came days after the Union health ministry called Delta Plus a “variant of concern”, citing its increased transmissibility and ability to bind to lung cell receptors more easily. India has recorded 51 cases of the variant so far, with Maharashtra reporting 22 infections.

“Given that the virus causing Covid 19 is undergoing mutations in various geographies, and that these mutations are displaying more transmissibility and potential reductions in monoclonal antibody response, a state-level trigger mandating all the administrative units, irrespective of values of the indices of weekly positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy percentage, to remain at a level not below 3 is to be in operation till withdrawn by specific order of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA),” a notification issued by chief secretary Sitaram Kunte said.

“New variants like Delta, Delta plus etc. have come to spread and are fuelling the potentiality of imminent (4-6 weeks), more severe third wave with wider geographical area,” it added.

Based on the trajectory of the infections, Mumbai is already in the third category, which means there will be no change in the restrictions in the state capital, an official said.

Section 144 has become applicable and not more than five people can gather at a public place, while movement should be minimal after 5pm, the notification said.

The state task force on Covid-19 and the ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW) have directed Maharashtra not to let its guard down, following which it was decided to cut down the relaxations, said Aseem Gupta, secretary, relief and rehabilitation department.

“It simply means that of the five-level relaxation plan, we have removed the first two levels having maximum relaxations. It also means all the districts and cities will get maximum relaxations that are provided under the level 3 plan,” Gupta said.

The state has found 21 cases of the Delta Plus variant so far in six districts.

“Before the second wave hit the state, cases started rising in Amravati and then it spread across the state. This time we have decided to be more careful considering the Delta plus variant cases have been found in a few districts. We cannot be at peace when there is a threat of a possible third wave looming large,” the relief and rehabilitation secretary said.

In its new order, the state government said that districts cannot reduce restrictions based on weekly positivity rate. They will have to observe the trend for two weeks. But for increasing restrictions, they won’t have to wait for two weeks and the decision can be taken within a few days. “While coming down to a lower level, the district disaster management authority (DDMA) shall look into two weeks’ trend before accepting a lower level of restrictions. When there is an upward trend in the number of positive cases being identified daily and requiring a higher level of restrictions than the current one, DDMA however shall do so without waiting for two weeks’ trends,” the notification said.

It said that the weekly positivity rate, a criterion for deciding the restriction levels, should be determined only on the basis of RT-PCR tests. This was done as many districts were conducting rapid antigen tests (RAT), which are less accurate compared to RT-PCR tests. “There are districts which have a 12% positivity rate going by RT-PCR tests and less than 5% going by RAT tests which is the reason the change has been adopted,” the relief and rehabilitation secretary said.