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NEW DELHI: Allowing relaxation of Covid containment protocols amid significant decline in case positivity and active cases across the country, the home ministry on Friday asked all the states and Union territories to consider allowing congregations for social, sports, religious, political, sports, entertainment and academic purposes, besides festival-related gatherings, based on a careful assessment of the local situation.
Asking all the states and UTs to implement a risk-assessment based approach on the opening of economic activities as part of revised Covid protocols valid till March 31, 2022, home secretary Ajay Bhalla, in a letter sent to the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and UTs on Friday, gave a green signal to the resumption of full-scale operations of public transport, shopping complexes, cinema halls, gymnasiums, spas, restaurants and bars; opening of schools, colleges and offices; and other commercial activities. However, the relaxations would be subject to an analysis of the local situation.
The revisited Covid protocols notified by the home ministry on Friday are based on an advisory issued by the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) on February 18. The MoHFW advisory had listed test positivity of 10% or more in the past week or bed occupancy of over 40% on either oxygen-supported or ICU beds, as the threshold for Covid restrictions to kick in. It called for a graded relaxation in various activities while following National Directives for Covid Management such as wearing of mask, social distancing, hand hygiene and ventilation in closed spaces. While allowing offline classes to be resumed in academic institutes without any curbs, the advisory also gave the school management leeway to follow hybrid model of imparting education through online and offline modes.
The home secretary on Friday asked the states and UTs to continue testing and surveillance, clinical management, vaccination and implementation of Covid appropriate behaviour.
Asking all the states and UTs to implement a risk-assessment based approach on the opening of economic activities as part of revised Covid protocols valid till March 31, 2022, home secretary Ajay Bhalla, in a letter sent to the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and UTs on Friday, gave a green signal to the resumption of full-scale operations of public transport, shopping complexes, cinema halls, gymnasiums, spas, restaurants and bars; opening of schools, colleges and offices; and other commercial activities. However, the relaxations would be subject to an analysis of the local situation.
The revisited Covid protocols notified by the home ministry on Friday are based on an advisory issued by the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) on February 18. The MoHFW advisory had listed test positivity of 10% or more in the past week or bed occupancy of over 40% on either oxygen-supported or ICU beds, as the threshold for Covid restrictions to kick in. It called for a graded relaxation in various activities while following National Directives for Covid Management such as wearing of mask, social distancing, hand hygiene and ventilation in closed spaces. While allowing offline classes to be resumed in academic institutes without any curbs, the advisory also gave the school management leeway to follow hybrid model of imparting education through online and offline modes.
The home secretary on Friday asked the states and UTs to continue testing and surveillance, clinical management, vaccination and implementation of Covid appropriate behaviour.
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