No mass gatherings in districts with over 5% positivity during the festival season: Union Guidelines

Sept. 23: The Union Government has released COVID-19 guidelines for festival season from October to November 2021. The Union Health Ministry on Thursday provided a number of measures to be followed by states for the upcoming festive season in the country from October to November 2021. During a press briefing, Union Secretary (Health) Rajesh Bhushan warned against relaxing of measures amid some states still seeing a spike in infections. He said a detailed Standard of Procedures (SOP) for States and UTs had been issued with the Health Ministry’s letter dated September 21, 2021.

• Mass gatherings are to be be avoided in areas identified as Containment Zones and in districts reporting more than 5% case positivity, Bhushan said.
• Gatherings with advance permissions and limited people, according to the local context, will be allowed in districts with a positivity rate of 5% and below, he said.
• The Union Health Secretary said relaxations and restrictions are to be be imposed based on weekly case positivity rate.

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Though the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country has waned, experts have warned against letting the guard down during the festive season. Doing so, they say, might lead to the arrival of a third wave.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that Assam government will come out with fresh SOP on 1 October, 2021. The State Chief Minister earlier hinted that there would be less restrictions in the state during the upcoming festivals as the number of Covid-19 cases have come down considerably.