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‘Exercise caution’: MHA tells states in wake of new Covid-19 strain, new year
Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote a letter to state chief secretaries saying, “strict vigil is to be maintained to prevent any fresh surge cases in the wake of new year celebrations”.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued an order extending the Covid-19 guidelines for “Containment, Surveillance and Caution” till January 31 and urged people to exercise caution in the wake of the new variant of the virus recently traced in the UK and new year celebrations.
“While there has been a continuous decline in the active and new Covid-19 cases, there is a need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and the emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK). Accordingly, containment zones continue to be demarcated carefully; prescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones; Covid-appropriate behaviour promoted and strictly enforced, and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect of various permitted activities followed scrupulously,” MHA said in a statement.
Simultaneously, Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote a letter to all the state chief secretaries saying, “strict vigil is to be maintained to prevent any fresh surge cases in the wake of new year celebrations and ongoing winter season which are favourable for the spread of the virus”.
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Bhalla pointed out in his letter that the number of active cases have been declining in the country for past 2-3 months and the overall situation appears “optimistic”.
He said that the government has started preparations for administration and rollout of vaccines for Covid-19.
“The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) has recommended prioritisation of this vaccine during the initial phases to health care workers, frontline workers, persons aged 50 years and above and those below 50 years of age with comorbidities,” Bhalla said.
He said that “the states/union territories may instruct the concerned authorities for their active support to the ministry of health and family welfare in identification, preparation of database, vaccine delivery, storage, security, shipment and vaccination of beneficiaries.”
Asserting that there is a concomitant need to exercise care, the home secretary added - “States/UTs, based on their assessment, may impose local restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, such as night curfew”.
Last month, the MHA had allowed states to impose night curfews amid rising Covid-19 cases.
