In light of significant decline in COVID-19 cases, Centre directs States and UTs to implement risk assessment-based approach on re-opening economic activities as per Advisory issued by Health Ministry; effective till 31st March, 2022

The Ministry of Home Affairs (“MHA”) has issued an Order directing the States and Union Territories to implement a risk assessment-based approach on the opening of economic activities, as conveyed through Advisory dated 18th February, 2022 issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Annexure-I of the present MHA Order) until 31st March, 2022.

Some of the strategic areas of intervention focusing on containment, test, track, surveillance, clinical management, vaccination and Covid Appropriate Behaviour to be taken up are as follows:

1. Relaxation in various activities duly following the National Directives for Covid-19 management:

• All offices may function without any capacity restrictions;

• All industrial and scientific establishments may be allowed;

• Social/sports/entertainment/academic, cultural/religious/festival-related and other gatherings and congregations may be resumed. The decision for allowing these activities shall be taken up by the concerned States duly guided by the principles as enunciated above;

• Offline classes may resume in academic institutes without any restrictions. However, the school administration may also leverage a hybrid model of imparting education through online and offline modes;

• Marriages and funerals/last rites may be allowed;

• All shopping complexes, cinema halls, restaurants & bars, sports complexes, gyms, spas, swimming pools, and religious places may be allowed to operate at full capacity;

• Public transport (railways, metros, buses, cabs) to operate without any capacity restrictions;

• No restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement including transportation of essential good.

Please note-

• While allowing all such activities, it is imperative that the national directive including use of mask & physical distancing are strictly followed in all public places.

• The above-mentioned activities are primarily indicative and States/UTs have to make a careful analysis of the local situation, areas to be covered, and extent of case positivity and transmission to decide on the relaxations/restrictions. Such decisions by States/UTs must be linked to the local epidemiological situation of Covid-19, based on a sustained critical level of testing and monitoring of case positivity.

2. Testing and surveillance:

States will continue with the strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and implementation of Covid Appropriate Behaviour across the district as the ongoing strategy in managing COVID- 19.

• Ensure sustained critical level of testing as per the testing guidelines.

• Monitoring of Influenza-like illness (ILI) & SARI cases to be taken up in all Health facilities for early warning signals of the spread of infection.

• The surge in cases including clustering of cases should be monitored.

• States to ensure continued focus on genomic sequencing of international passengers, collection of samples from sentinel sites (identified health facilities) and local clusters of cases, duly following the guidelines laid by MoHFW to capture early warning signals on variants.

3. Clinical Management:

• States have to ensure sufficient availability of dedicated Covid health infrastructure as per the ongoing case trajectory.

• States have to ensure that Home isolation protocol is followed wherever required for asymptomatic and mild cases and specified monitoring shall be continued for high-risk cases.

• Non-Covid health services shall also be fully operationalized in all health facilities.

4. Vaccination:

• States should ensure 100% coverage of left out first and second dose eligible beneficiaries in an accelerated manner. Special focus to be given to those districts where the first & second dose coverage is less than the national average. The door-to door vaccination campaign need to be strengthened. Similarly, precaution dose & adolescent vaccination shall also be taken up for all eligible people.

• As far as schools are concerned, the district administration, in collaboration with school management, may ensure vaccination of all teaching and non-teaching staff.

• All activities, like restaurants, gym, spas, sports, swimming pools, etc. considered for resumption of services shall promote 100% vaccination of the eligible staff.

National directives for Covid-19 management:

• Face covering: Wearing of face cover is compulsory in public places; in workplaces; and during transport.

• Social distancing: Individuals must maintain an adequate distance in public place and at work places.

• Spitting in public places will be punishable with fine, as may be prescribed by the State/ UT local authority in accordance with its laws, rules or regulations.

• Screening & hygiene: Provisions for hand wash or sanitizer will be made at work places.

• Ventilation: In closed places, proper ventilation should be ensured.

Source: Ministry of Home Affairs