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Stopping COVID-19 in its track: New MHA guidelines allow states to impose local restrictions

Stopping COVID-19 in its track: New MHA guidelines allow states to impose local restrictions
The Covid-19 vaccination drive will be carried out in 5,000 sites across India, beginning January 16.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issues new guidelines for surveillance, containment and caution in the wake of surge in COVID-19 cases.

Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Published : November 25, 2020 6:50 PM IST

In recent days, India has seen a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases. Elsewhere in the world too the number of positive cases and mortality have gone up significantly. As winter approaches, experts fear that we may be in for an increased number of cases and this has the government seriously worried. This is the time when people need to be more careful and practice all the precautionary measures even more diligently. But unfortunately, this is often not the case. Many people are guilty of taking these measures lightly and flouting rules put in place to contain transmission of the deadly viral contagion. The national capital Delhi followed by Maharastra and West Bengal have seen the most cases in this second spurt.All state governments are taking measures to protect their people and imposing fines and curfews to contain the spread.

Now, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued new guidelines for surveillance, containment and caution in the wake of surge in coronavirus cases in few states and Union Territories (UTs), allowing them to impose local restrictions to contain the spread of the pandemic based on need. The month-long guidelines will be effective from December 1 and will remain in force up to December 31.

The 19-point Standard Operating Procedure

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued a 19-point Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) giving nod to states and UTs to impose local restrictions if necessary. The SOPs, part of a month-long guidelines issued by the MHA, will be effective from December 1 and will remain in force up to December 31.

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  • States and Union Territories (UTs) have been allowed to impose night curfew but "shall not be allowed impose any local lockdown outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Centre".
  • Staggered office timings and other suitable measures shall be implemented in the cities with the positivity rate in 10 per cent so as to ensure social distancing.
  • The MHA has also not restricted any inter-state or intra-state movement.
  • People above 65-years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years have been adivsed to stay home while advising the general public to use Aarogya Setu mobile application.
  • The district authorities have been asked to carefully demarcate containment zones considering prescribed MoHFW guidelines. The authorities have also been asked to notify the list of containment zones on the website of respective district collectors.
  • While only essential activities shall be allowed in the containment zones, strict perimeter control will be there to ensure that there is no movement of people, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential services.
  • There shall be intensive house-to-house surveillance by surveillance teams formed for the purpose.
  • Testing shall be carried out as per prescribed protocol.
  • Listing of contacts shall be carried out in respect of all persons found positive, along with their tracking, identification, quarantine and follow up of contacts for 14 days (80 per cent of contacts to be traced in 72 hours).
  • Quick isolation of COVID-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities or home (subject to fulfilling the home isolation guidelines).
  • Clinical interventions, as prescribed, shall be administered and surveillance for Influenza-Like Illness or Severe Acute Respiratory Infection cases shall be carried out in health facilities or outreach mobile units or through fever clinics in buffer zones.
  • Awareness shall be created in communities on COVID-19 appropriate behavior.
  • Local district, police and municipal authorities shall be responsible to ensure that the prescribed containment measures are strictly followed, and state or UT governments shall ensure the accountability of the officers concerned in this regard.
  • It is directed to state and UT governments to take all necessary measures to promote COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and to ensure strict enforcement of wearing of face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing.
  • In order to enforce the core requirement of wearing of face masks, states and UTs may consider administrative actions, including imposition of appropriate fines, on persons not wearing face masks in public and workspaces.
  • For observance of social distancing in crowded places, especially in markets, weekly bazaars and public transport, MoHFW) will issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which shall be strictly enforced by states and UTs.
  • All activities have been permitted outside Containment Zones, except for some which have been permitted with certain restrictions-- international air travel of passengers, as permitted by MHA; cinema halls and theatres, with up to 50 per cent capacity; swimming pools, only for training of sports persons; exhibition halls, only for business to business (B2B) purposes; social, religious, sports, entertainment, educational, cultural, religious gatherings, with up to a maximum of 50 per cent of the hall capacity, with a ceiling of 200 persons in closed spaces, keeping of the size of the ground in open spaces.
  • However, the MHA said, based on their assessment of the situation, state and UT governments may reduce the ceiling to 100 persons or less, in closed spaces.

The main focus of the guidelines is to consolidate the substantial gains that have been achieved against the spread of the deadly disease which is visible in the steady decline in number of active cases in the country.

Surveillance, containment and strict observance

"Keeping in view the recent spike in new cases in few states and UTs, ongoing festival season and onset of winter, it is emphasised that to fully overcome the pandemic, there is need to maintain caution and to strictly follow the prescribed containment strategy, focused on surveillance, containment and strict observance of the guidelines or SOPs issued by MHA and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW)," the statement said. Local district, police and municipal authorities shall be responsible to ensure that the prescribed containment measures are strictly followed. "States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions, with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19," the Ministry said.

India tally now above 92 lakh

The move comes after India on Wednesday added 44,376 COVID cases, pushing its total tally to 92,22,216. It is the 18th straight day when India reported less than 50,000 cases in a day. But there are many states including Delhi, Mumbai, and West Bengal where the number of COVID cases has been increasing drastically, claiming many lives regularly. Maharashtra remains the worst hit state with 84,238 active cases and 46,683 deaths so far. The recoveries in the state stand at 16,58,879. Apart from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka have reported the highest number of cases. The national capital is also witnessing a surge. On Tuesday, Delhi recorded 6,224 new cases and 109 deaths.

(With inputs from IANS)