NEW DELHI: Existing guidelines from the home ministry for surveillance, containment and the warning against Covid-19 were extended on Monday until January 31, 2021 even when the ministry asked the states and territories of the Union to maintain a “strict surveillance” to avoid a new wave in cases as a consequence of the meetings scheduled during the New year celebrations.
The ministry, although it extended the validity of the rules last announced on November 25, pointed out that although the general situation in the country seemed optimistic with a constant decrease in active cases in the last 2-3 months, it was necessary to maintain the caution and strict vigilance. in view of the increase in cases worldwide and the emergence of a new variant of the virus in the UK.
“It is also necessary to maintain strict surveillance to avoid a further increase in cases in the wake of the upcoming New Year celebrations and the ongoing winter season, which are favorable for the spread of the virus.” Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said in a letter to the top secretaries / administrators of all the states / UT.
Bhalla said the states and UT will continue to have the leeway to impose local restrictions such as a night curfew, depending on their own assessment of the situation.
Importantly, since the government has begun preparations for the deployment of the vaccine For Covid-19, the Secretary of the Interior asked the states / UT to instruct the interested authorities to offer active support to the ministry of health and family welfare in the identification, preparation of the beneficiary database, delivery of vaccines , storage, security, shipping and vaccination process.
The National Group of Experts on the Administration of Vaccines for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) has recommended giving priority to the vaccine to healthcare workers, front-line workers, people 50 years and older and those under 50 years with comorbidities.
The current set of guidelines allows all activities outside of containment zones with some curbs; such as international air travel as permitted by MHA; movie theaters and theaters at 50% capacity; swimming pools only for the training of athletes; exhibitions for business-to-business purposes only; and social, religious, sports and cultural meetings up to a maximum of 50% of the capacity of the room, with a ceiling of 200 people, in closed spaces and keeping the size of the land in sight, in open spaces.
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