The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday released a fresh set of guidelines for surveillance, containment and caution amid rising COVID-19 cases. States/UTs have been mandated to strictly enforce containment measures, SOPs on various activities and COVID-appropriate behaviour and exercise caution and regulate the crowd. The new guidelines will be effective from December 1, 2020, and will remain in place till December 31.
As per the fresh guidelines, only essential activities will be allowed in containment zones. The MHA in a statement said that Covid-19 rules and containment measures prescribed by the health ministry strictly need to be followed in demarcated containment zones and 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 the supply of essential goods and services. Surveillance teams will conduct intensive house-to-house surveillance and quick isolation of Covid-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities or homes.
Keeping in view the recent spike in cases in few states /UTs, festival season and onset of winter, it is emphasised that there is a need to maintain caution and strictly follow the prescribed containment strategy, the guidelines read. The main focus of the guidelines is to consolidate the substantial gains that been achieved against the spread of COVID-19 which is visible in the steady decline in the number of active cases in the country.
The Centre has allowed states to impose local restrictions, including night curfews to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease.
