Thermal screening, social distancing as devotees back in places of worship

The opening of places of worship is the first of the three-phase plan for reopening of prohibited activities in non-containment zones with a stringent set of Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) which will be in place till June 30.

Devotees and faithfuls were back in places of worship as temples, gurdwaras, mosques and churches reopened in most states following Unlock 1 guidelines on Monday amid an uptick in coronavirus cases.

A man dressed as ‘Hanuman’ dances to the tune of Dhol at Hanuman Temple near Connaught Place in Delhi. (Photo: Arvind Yadav/HT)

Presenting numbers, the Union health ministry said there have been 9,983 new cases of the coronavirus disease and 206 deaths between Sunday and Monday morning. This is the fifth day in a row that the country has reported more than 9,000 Covid-19 cases in a single day.

The opening of places of worship is the first of the three-phase plan for reopening of prohibited activities in non-containment zones with a stringent set of Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) which will be in place till June 30.

The new phase is especially challenging for the five worst affected states, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the total coronavirus cases, and nearly 78 per cent of the death. Maharashtra(85,975 cases), Tamil Nadu(30,152), Delhi(28,936), Gujarat (20,097) and Rajasthan (10,599) were the five worst-hit states.

Here’s a look at the devotees:

A man dressed as ‘Hanuman’ dances to the tune of Dhol at Hanuman Temple near Connaught Place in Delhi. (Photo: Arvind Yadav/HT)

The man dressed as ‘Hanuman’ is pleased as punch as the temple in Delhi reopened after nearly two months. (Photo: Arvind Yadav/HT)

Devotes offering prayer at gurdwara Sis Ganj Chandni Chowk in old Delhi. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/HT)

Devotes practising social distancing while offering prayers at a Delhi gurdwara. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/HT)

Devotees praying during the morning aarti at a temple in sector 45 Chandigarh. (Photo by Ravi Kumar/HT)

A faithful performing puja at a temple in Delhi. (Photo: Ajay Aggarwal/HT)

A disinfectant tunnel at a Delhi temple to check the spread of coronavirus. In order to implement social distancing in the temple premises, marking has been done all over and bells have been covered so to prevent devotees from touching it. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/HT)

In order to implement social distancing in the temple premises, marking has been done all over and bells have been covered so to prevent devotees from touching it. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/HT)

A man seen paying obeisance at the Sai Baba Mandir in Delhi. (Photo by Arvind Yadav/HT)

A florist outside temple in sector 23 Chandigarh waiting for devotees to come by. (Photo by Sanjeev Sharma/HT)

Under the SOP, all religious places have been advised to ensure that entrance will have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitizer dispenser) and thermal screening provisions and only asymptomatic persons shall be allowed in the premises. (Photo: Sanjeev Sharma/HT)