Bengaluru, Dec 22: India is witnessing a reduction in the daily number of COVID-19 cases being reported, but the news of a new "out-of-control" coronavirus strain found in the UK has sent the government into a spiral.
Apart from that, there are concerns over the possibility that the upcoming Christmas and New Year festivities could cause people to throw caution to the wind and go lax on COVID-19 related precautions.
Therefore, the Centre has banned flights to and from the UK, from December 22 till December 31, in view of the new and highly infectious strain of virus detected there.
All states have decided to launch their own COVID-1 related protocols and guidelines for the Christmas and New Year season.
In all states where night curfews are in force during Christmas and New Year, here is what to expect.
What is allowed in night curfew
- Essential services like vegetable and milk supply
- Assembly of not more than 5 people at a place.
What must stay shut during night curfew
-All shops, barring essential services like medical supplies
-Non-essential travel
-Assembly of more than 5 people in public places
Maharashtra:
Maharashtra government on Monday 21 December) declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary step amid growing concerns over a new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.
This spell will cover the Christmas and the New Year festivities time, typically a period when hotels demand the right to be allowed to operate and entertain through the night as patrons celebrate with scant COVID-specific social distancing precautions being imposed.
The Maharashtra state's official statement said that those who arrive at the state's airports from European and West Asian countries will have to undergo 14 days compulsory institutional quarantine. Those found symptomatic or infected will be sent to a hospital for admission directly.
Passengers coming from other countries to Maharashtra, the worst-affected state by COVID-19 in the country, will be home quarantined the statement by the Maha government said.
No Christmas or New Year function excuses will be entertained to keep hotels/restaurants/parties/revelries to continue from 11 pm to 6 am curfew hours.
Manipur:
In the last week of November, Manipur had declared night curfew to last till December end. The curfew hours were 6 pm to 4 am and the state government had declared that the night curfew orders in Manipur will continue till December 31 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. There has been no change in that. This will, of course, mean that people can celebrate Christmas and New Year in public places dring daytime (outside curfew hours) by following COVID-specific SOPs and/or inside homes beyond curfew hours. Movement of essential services, goods trucks, and officials on duty has been exempted from the latest order. Also, the number of attendees at social and customary ceremonies has been capped at 20.
Himachal Pradesh:
Night curfew that had been imposed in 8 districts of Himachal Pradesh has been extended on 14 December till 5th January 2021 in the four Covid-hit districts of Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu.
Punjab:
On December 11, the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh acted on the complaints of mass violations of COVID-19 curbs at weddings and parties, extending night curfew and ordering restrictions of 100 persons on indoor events and 250 on outdoor gatherings in the state. The night curfew hours will be 10 pm to 5 am and will stay in effect till January 1, covering the Christmas and New Year's eve and day, as well.
Karnataka:
Karnataka has noted that 531 passengers from the UK had arrived into the state on Sunday and out of them, 138 did not have COVID-19 negative certificates though all of them were asymptomatic. Now, the Karnataka Government has decided to trace all passengers who had arrived in Bengaluru and Mangaluru from the UK since 7th December. The district surveillance officers have been asked to trace, test, and place such people under home quarantine. Those who are RT-PCR positive shall be placed under hospital isolation and positive samples will be sent to NIMHANS, Bengaluru for molecular testing. Passengers who are RT-PCR negative shall be under strict home quarantine for 14 days.
A draft advisory prepared by the Karnataka state health department based on recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the state govt had declared on December 1-2 that to avoid a likely second wave in January-February 2021, it may reintroduce night curfew during the Christmas-New Year week.
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