Measures To Contain The Coronavirus Extend Through September 30

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday prolonged the prevailing Covid-19 enforcement of containment measures until September 30 and requested the state governments and union territory administrations to strictly observe the sooner instructions issued by the MHA and Union Health & Family welfare.

In an order issued by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla Saturday, the Ministry mentioned, “In the exercise of powers, conferred under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned hereby directs that the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure compliance to the containment measures for Covid-19, as conveyed vide Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will remain in force up to 30th September, 2021.”

Noting that the general pandemic state of affairs on the nationwide stage now seems to be largely secure, apart from the localised unfold of virus in few states, Bhalla mentioned, “The total number of active cases and high case positivity in some districts continue to remain a matter of concern”.

In a separate communication with states and UTs, he famous that the weekly enforcement information obtained from throughout the nation with regard to sporting face masks in public, sustaining social distancing norms and imposition of fines point out a downward pattern, however requested the state governments and UT administrations to enhance their efforts for successfully checking transmission of the illness.

Bhalla additionally directed state administration to repair up accountability of the district officers if any failures occure in efficient enforcement of Covid-19 applicable behaviour.

The Union Home Secretary additionally mentioned that the states and UTs must take appropriate measures to keep away from massive gatherings in the course of the coming festive seasons and if required, impose native restrictions with a view to curb such massive gatherings.

“We need to continue our focus on the five-fold strategy — test, track, treat, vaccination and adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour”, he added.

Noting that the nation has made a major progress in vaccination, Bhalla additionally requested the states and the UTs to proceed their vaccination programmes in order to inoculate the utmost variety of eligible individuals and in addition to make sure that areas having no virus or low virus transmission are adequately protected by growing testing and different surveillance measures.