UP govt relaxes Covid curfew in 6 more districts: What's open, what's not

The Uttar Pradesh government had on Sunday announced lifting of restrictions in 55 districts where active cases of Covid-19 were below 600. On Monday, the number of such districts were increased to 61.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday extended the relaxations announced in the coronavirus curfew to six more districts from June 1, allowing shops and markets outside the containment zones to open for five days a week. With this, 61 districts (out of 75) in the state are now out of Covid-19 curbs.

A medical worker collects swab sample of a child passenger for Covid-19 test in Lucknow. It is among the 14 districts where Covid restrictions will continue.(PTI Photo)

The relaxations were announced on Sunday, in districts which have less than 600 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The districts added in the list on Monday are: Sonbhadra, Deoria, Baghpat, Prayagraj, Bijnore and Moradabad.

After the latest order, there are 14 districts in Uttar Pradesh where there would be no relaxations. There are: Meerut, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Jhansi, Lakhimpur-Khiri, Jaunpur and Ghazipur.

Here's what will open and what won't after restrictions are lifted:

• The shops will be allowed to remain open from 7am to 7pm from Monday to Friday.
• Eateries on highways and vendors will also be allowed to operate, according to a statement issued by the state government.
• The state government also emphasised that cleanliness, sanitisation and fogging campaigns will have to be carried out.
• Shopkeepers and their employees will have to wear masks, maintain a two-yard distance with each other and customers, and ensure the arrangement of hand sanitiser. These rules will also be applicable to the customers.
• While there would be full attendance for the frontline workers, for the rest of the government employees, there would be 50 per cent attendance on rotation. A Covid-19 helpdesk must also be established at all offices, the Uttar Pradesh government said in its order.
• The private sector has been asked to encourage the employees to work from home.
• According to the order, industrial units will stay open while vegetable markets in the densely-populated areas will function in open places.
• At railway stations, airports and bus stands, all Covid-19 protocols have to be followed. Screening of passengers and rapid antigen tests have to be conducted. The roadways buses have been allowed to operate within the state.
• Schools, colleges and educational institutes will remain closed while teachers and other staff have been allowed to come to school for administrative work.
• Not more than five devotees will be allowed inside a religious place at a time. Coaching centres, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, clubs and shopping malls will remain closed, the statement said.
• A maximum of 20 people will be allowed at a funeral procession, according to state government's order.