When India launched the Covid 19 vaccine in people expected that the end of Coronavirus is near. The active cases and deaths due to the pandemic also reduced and life returned back on track for many who were locked behind closed doors. Just when the country stopped caring about the Coronavirus situation, it again hit the people with the second wave and now the situation is the same as in 2020 with one question in everybody's mind-Will India go under lockdown again?
While there are still discussions going on among the authorities in the state and central government, some states have already taken strict measures to curb the Covid situation and people are witnessing a mini-lockdown.
With Maharashtra Covid cases scaling high, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday that there is still a 'possibility' of lockdown to tackle the concerning situation of Covid-19.
"I want to appeal to everyone once more today. We have become a little complacent. Everything has started – weddings, agitations as if coronavirus has completely gone. We have to be careful," Thackeray said in his address.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the ongoing wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Capital is not as serious as the previous waves and hence there is no need of imposing any lockdown. "We will be reviewing the situation. In future, if the need for a lockdown arises, I will consult before taking any such decision," the Chief Minister said, adding that though it is being considered the second wave in the country, it is the fourth wave for Delhi.
Here's what other cities are witnessing amid the second covid wave in the country:
Pune: Night curfew timings in Pune district have been revised to 6 pm-6 am from the earlier 8 pm-7 am. The decision was taken after a Covid-19 review meeting chaired by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Restaurants, bars, malls, and religious places will be shut for seven days. Restaurants will, however, be allowed to provide food parcel and delivery services until 10 pm, Pune Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said.The order will be implemented from Saturday (April 3) and will be reviewed next Friday. A state-wide night curfew is in force from 8 pm to 7 am along with other stringent measures.
Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh government on Friday ordered the closing of schools - both government and private - for students of classes 1 to 8 till April 11 in the wake of the Covid-19 situation in the state. Earlier, the Yogi Adityanth government had ordered the closure of schools for students up to Class 8 till April 4 in view of increasing COVID-19 infections. Now the administration has extended the period of closure till April 11. The state administration has given strict instructions to school authorities to follow Covid-19 protocol in schools for other classes. Section 144 has been imposed in Ghaziabad.
Chhattisgarh: The Chhattisgarh government on Friday announced that it will impose a complete lockdown in the Durg district for nine days. Durg Collector Sarveshwar Bhure said that the complete lockdown will be imposed between April 6 to 14 in light of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the district.
Essential services have been exempted from the lockdown curbs, which will be imposed in a bid to bring the covid situation under control.
Tamil Nadu: The poll-bound state has extended its ongoing partial lockdown till April 30, during which Covid containment measures will be intensified and safety measures -- including mask usage and social distancing -- will be strictly enforced. International air travel prohibition will continue except for permitted purposes.
Madhya Pradesh: In MP, the district crisis management committee imposed two days of lockdown in Khargone, Ratlam and Betul and three days lockdown in Chhindwara city, officials said. The committee took this decision on Thursday. The lockdown was imposed on Saturday and Sunday in Ratlam, Khargone and Betul while in Chhindwara, it will start from Thursday night and will continue till Monday 6 am.