The Delhi government on Sunday announced a graded action plan to deal with any increase in Covid-19 infections, Mint reported. The plan puts in place colour-coded guidelines for four stages of severity of the pandemic. Delhi is the first city to enforce such a plan.

A yellow alert will come into effect if the positivity rate crosses 0.5% for two straight days, or the city reports 1,500 new cases in a week, or 500 oxygen beds are occupied in a week, NDTV reported. At this level, shops can operate between 10 am and 8 pm on an odd-even basis. Metro services will be allowed at 50% passenger capacity.

An amber alert will be in place if the city has a a positivity rate of over 1% for two consecutive days or reports 3,500 new cases over a week or 700 oxygen beds are occupied within a week. At this level, a weekend curfew will be imposed, and metro services will be allowed at 33% capacity.

An orange alert will kick in when the positivity rate crosses 2% for two days in a row, or the city records 9,000 new cases in a week or 1,000 oxygen beds are occupied in a week, Times Now reported. Under an orange alert, metro travel will be stopped and all shops except standalone ones will be shut. Buses, however, will be allowed to operate with 50% capacity,

The highest level, a red alert, will be in force if Delhi records a positivity rate of over 5% for two straight days or registers 16,000 cases over a week or if 3,000 oxygen beds are occupied in a week. At this level, apart from all the curbs under the orange alert, a complete curfew will be put in place in the Capital.

However, construction activities will be allowed if the labourers are provided accommodation at the site.

Educational institutions will remain shut under every level of severity mentioned above. From Monday, schools have been allowed to open for classes 10 to 12. Students are also allowed to visit schools for admission-related work, counselling, guidance and practical activities for board exams, the Hindustan Times reported.

Cinema halls, theatres, banquet halls, auditoriums, barber shops, salons, spas, gymnasiums and yoga centres, and entertainment parks will stay shut at all four levels.