Centre Asks State To Go For Containment Zone And Not Lockdown

Intensive local and focused containment measures would be taken in districts and areas with test positivity of 10 per cent and more in the last one week. This would also be followed in places where more than 60 percent of oxygen supported or ICU beds are occupied. Advisory has asked states to encourage work from home. State level directives must strictly be enforced by all District Magistrates on containment measures as well as the national guidelines.

It has been decided to call off all kinds of public gathering for political, social, religious, sports or entertainment purposes. Night curfew would be imposed in the districts. Closing of shops, complexes, cinema halls, gyms, spas, restaurants, stadia, operating public transport at 50 percent of the passengers, marriage gatherings with 50 people and funerals with 20 people would be followed.

The health ministry has advised that states and UTs should make careful analysis of the local situation, areas to be covered and probability of transmission and then take a decision. Details of hospital beds and vacancy status should be made available online apart from the vaccination eligibility groups. In order to generate public confidence details on availability of oxygen, drugs, vaccines and vaccination centres, including the guidelines related to use of drugs like Ramdesivir, Tocilizumab, should be widely publicised.

An advisory was issued on April 26 on the Health Ministry guidelines where the states were asked to impose localised restriction for at least 14 days to reduce the spread of infection. The guidelines will be applicable till May 31. Guidelines issued on March 23 will remain effective till April 30. As per the MHA order, the implementation framework for community and large containment areas has also been enclosed.