Covid-19 lockdown: What’s allowed, what’s not in phase 4
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also allowed states to define red, orange, green and buffer zones.
The Centre on Sunday directed states to continue lockdown measures till May 31. The nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25 to combat the coronavirus and has since been extended thrice, with the latest extension beginning May 18.
However, the new phase comes with considerable relaxations outside containment zones. The ministry also allowed states to define red, orange, green and buffer zones. States and Union Territories may prohibit certain activities in the various zones as deemed necessary.
Flights services and metro train services will continue to remain suspended. The night curfew will also stay in effect, which means that all non-essential travel will remain prohibited between 7 pm and 7 am. Also, people above 65 years of age, those with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years shall stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.
Here’s a full list of activities that will be permitted in lockdown 4.0.
What’s prohibited countrywide
· All domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes or purposes as permitted by MHA.
· Metro rail services.
· Schools, colleges, educational/ training/ coaching institutions etc.
· Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services, except those meant for housing health/ police/ government officials/ healthcare workers/ stranded persons including tourists and for quarantine facilities. Canteens at bus depots, railway stations and airports.
· All cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places will remain closed.
· All social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/ other gatherings and large congregations.
· All religious places/ places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
Activities permitted except in containment zones
· Inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, with mutual consent of the state(s)/ UT(s) involved.
· Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, as decided by the states and UTs.
· Restaurants shall be permitted to operate kitchens for home delivery of food items.
· Sports complexes and stadia will be permitted to open; however, spectators will not be allowed.
· E-commerce firms can deliver non-essential items to coronavirus red zones from now.
· Barber shops, salons and shopping complexes to open
· Movement of all types of goods and cargos, including empty trucks
· Marriage-related gatherings to ensure physical distancing, with a maximum of 50 guests.
· For funerals, a maximum of 20 people will be allowed.
· Local authorities should ensure that shops and markets open with staggered timings. All shops will also have to ensure six feet distance among customers and also not allow more than 5 people at one time.
· Practice of work from home should be followed as much as possible, and staggering of work hours should be adopted
In containment zones
Only essential activities shall be allowed
There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services.
There shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to- house surveillance, and other clinical interventions, as required.