Centre extends COVID-19 guidelines till January 31, says need to maintain caution against new virus strain

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The government on December 28 extended the existing guidelines for COVID-19 surveillance till January 31, 2021, and also said that there is a need to "maintain surveillance, containment and caution" owing to the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in the United Kingdom (UK).

"While there has been a continuous decline in the active and new COVID-19 cases, there is need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and the emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom," the Union Home Ministry said.

It also said that containment zones will continue to be demarcated carefully and prescribed containment measures should be followed strictly within these zones.

In its earlier guidelines, issued on November 25, the government had said that 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.