Just two days for New Year and Omicron is here to dampen the celebrations. After months of witnessing a downward trend in caseload, India’s Covid tally has recently seen an uptick. On Wednesday, 9,195 people were found to be infected in a day, while 781 cases of the new variant was found in 21 states and UTs.
Maharashtra, which otherwise has been reporting highest number of coronavirus cases, was left behind by Delhi on India’s Omicron charts. Delhi recorded the maximum number of 238 cases followed by Maharashtra at 167, Gujarat 73, Kerala 65 and Telangana 62.
The national capital region of Gurugram in Haryana has seen a sudden surge. In the past seven days, Gurugram has added 316 new Covid cases — highest since June 1. Considering the situation, the health department has directed all city hospitals to reserve 25% of their beds for Covid patients and create a separate unit for Omicron patients.
Experts expect daily cases to rise to over 100 soon in Gurugram soon as on Tuesday itself 76 patients tested positive. “We are ramping up testing, and Covid cases are likely to go up. The hospitals will reserve 25% of their beds for Covid patients as we expect a surge in the coming days. Each hospital will have a separate wing to deal with Omicron patients,” Gurgaon’s chief medical officer Virender Yadav said.
Amid the worrying situation in the national capital and neighbouring regions, the authorities have advised certain restrictions, especially as people plan to celebrate New Year’s eve.
Here Are Covid Rules for Delhi-NCR Residents:
DELHI
Schools, colleges and training and coaching institutions, along with cinemas and gyms, in the national capital will remain closed as the DDMA has declared a “yellow alert”. The Directorate of Education (DoE) clarified that online teaching learning, examinations and related activities such as practicals, projects and assignments for classes 9 to 12 would be conducted according to schedule.
Shops dealing in non-essential items will open on odd-even basis, and metro trains and buses will run with 50 per cent of seating capacity in the city. In accordance with ‘Level-1’ alert under the graded response action plan (GRAP), there would be night curfew between 10 pm and 5 am and private offices will function with physical attendance of 50 per cent of the staff, barring essential categories.
The national capital, with nearly 600 restaurants and clubs that have alcohol licence, had been gearing up for a major gala night on New Year’s Eve. However, with the new rules and night curfew, the pubs and bars are staring at losses running into crores. While dining places can expect some business during lunch and early dinner hours, nightclubs and high energy bars are the worst affected.
GURUGRAM
The Gurugram health department has issued a stay-at-home advisory to residents above 60 years of age with comorbidities, pregnant women, and children under 10 years of age.
The department also informed that festivals and events would not be allowed in the containment zones. Organisers of fairs and exhibitions at other locations have to maintain staggered timings and restricted entries. They should also install separate entry and exit gates to avoid crowding, and no symptomatic person should be allowed on the premises. Volunteers, meanwhile, have to be appropriately stationed to ensure thermal scanning, social distancing and masks on the premises.
The advisory said organisers should use closed-circuit cameras to monitor compliance with physical distance and mask norms in crowds. It also advised people to maintain a six feet distance in public areas. “Use of face cover or mask is mandatory. All respiratory etiquettes have to be strictly followed by residents. It involves the strict practice of covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing with a tissue or handkerchief or a fixed elbow and disposing of used tissues properly. Spitting should be strictly prohibited in public places,” the advisory read. Moreover, all religious places should follow no-touch practices.
NOIDA
Those planning a get-together in Noida, may have to monitor the sound levels as penalties of up to Rs 10,000 can be imposed on people who violate the permitted sound limit rules. The Noida traffic police have constantly been conducting enforcement drives around the city to control the noise pollution levels.
A report in Times of India quoted GB Nagar deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Ganesh Prasad Saha as saying that the department would keep a close watch on people organising parties on New Year’s Eve and playing loud music.
The government has also announced a night curfew in Noida from 11 pm to 5 pm, keeping in view the new Covid variant and the rising cases. The district administration has also imposed Section 144 of CrPC on December 25. The section will remain enforced till January 31.
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