MHA issues new COVID-19 guidelines effective from 1 Dec: Allows states to impose night curfew

Nov. 25: The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued fresh guidelines for COVID-19 ‘surveillance, containment and caution’ effective from 1 December, 2020. The guidelines will be in place till 31 December, 2020.  States and union territories can impose local restrictions like night curfew to check the spread of Covid-19, but they will have to consult the Centre before imposing any lockdown outside the containment zones, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Wednesday.

According to the guidelines, states and Union Territories are mandated to strictly enforce containment measures, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on various activities and COVID-appropriate behaviour while also maintaining a check on crowding. The centre said states can impose additional fines and curbs on gatherings but there can’t be any lockdown outside containment zones without its permission. The government call for stricter enforcement of existing rules like mask-wearing, social distancing and said it will issue formal rules for markets and weekly bazaars.

“The main focus of the guidelines is to consolidate the substantial gains that have been achieved against the spread of COVID-19 which is visible in the steady decline in number of active cases in the country,” the ministry said in the guidelines. For observance of social distancing in crowded places, especially in markets, weekly bazaars and public transport, MoHFW will issue a SOP, the statement further read. National Directives for COVID-19 Management shall continue to be followed throughout the country, so as to enforce COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

• States/ UTs to ensure careful demarcation of containment zones by the district authorities, at the micro level, taking into consideration the guidelines prescribed by MoHFW in this regard.
• Within the demarcated Containment Zones, containment measures, as prescribed by MoHFW, shall be scrupulously followed, which includes: Only essential activities shall be allowed in the Containment Zones. There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and 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 percent of contacts to be traced in 72 hours).
• Quick isolation of COVID-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities/ home (subject to fulfilling the home isolation guidelines).
• Clinical interventions, as prescribed, shall be administered.
• Surveillance for ILI/ SARI 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 behaviour.
• Local district, police and municipal authorities shall be responsible to ensure that the prescribed Containment measures are strictly followed and State/ UT Governments shall ensure the accountability of the officers concerned in this regard.

All activities have been permitted outside Containment Zones, except for the following, which have been permitted with certain restrictions:

• International air travel of passengers, as permitted by MHA.
• Cinema halls and theatres, with upto 50 percent 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 upto a maximum of 50 percent of the hall capacity, with a ceiling of 200 persons in closed spaces; and keeping of the size of the ground/ space in view, in open spaces.

“However, based on their assessment of the situation, State/ UT Governments may reduce the ceiling to 100 persons or less, in closed spaces,” MHA order stated.

Local restrictions:

• States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions, with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19 such as night curfew.
• However, the state governements shall not impose any local lockdown (State/ District/ sub-division/City level), outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Government, clarified the ministry in its order.
• States and UTs also need to enforce social distancing in offices. In cities, where the weekly Case Positivity Rate is in more than 10%, states concerned shall consider implementing staggered office timings and other suitable measures, with a view to reduce the number of employees attending office at the same time, thereby ensuring social distancing.

There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.

Vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. The use of Aarogya Setu mobile application will continue to be encouraged.