Covid-19: MHA advisory asks states to go for containment steps

NEW DELHI: Based on a framework issued by the health ministry on April 25, the Centre on Thursday suggested intensive, local and focused containment measures in districts and areas with test positivity of 10% and more in the last one week and where more than 60% of oxygen-supported or ICU beds are occupied.
The MHA order, which invoked provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, directed states and UTs to consider containment measures such as restrictions on gatherings, operations of markets, offices, schools and universities and intensified testing and tracking for immediate implementation based on their assessment of the situation until May 31.
Despite the surge in Covid-positive cases and deaths in April, MHA's fresh guidelines on Covid containment steered clear of imposing lockdowns and left it to states and UTs to devise their own containment strategies based on the health ministry advisory.
It said national directives for Covid-19 management, which require wearing of face masks and social distancing in public places and encouraging of work-from-home, shall continue to be strictly followed. All district magistrates are required to strictly enforce state-level directives on containment measures as well as the national guidelines. Violations, the MHA order said, would attract penal action under the Disaster Management Act.
The health ministry had called for measures like night curfew, prohibiting public gatherings for political, social, religious, sports or entertainment purposes, capping attendance at marriages to 50 and at funerals to 20, closing of shopping complexes, cinema halls, gyms, spas, restaurants (dine-in), stadia and operating public transport at 50%, and a cap of 50% attendance in government and private offices.
“However, these are indicative activities, and states and UTs should make a careful analysis of the local situation, areas to be covered, and probability of transmission and then take a decision,” the health ministry had advised.
The restrictions were prescribed for 14 days across the containment zones, which shall be declared such after a public announcement outlining the rationale and the nature of restrictions while asking for a test-track-treat-vaccine approach and ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour.
Apart from suggesting 100% vaccination of eligible age groups, the health ministry had said that details of hospital beds and vacancy status be made available online on a daily basis. It also said details on availability of oxygen, drugs, vaccines and vaccination centres, including the guidelines related to use of drugs like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, should be widely publicised to generate public confidence.