Activate War Rooms, Impose Night Curfew: Centre's Guidelines As Omicron Cases Rise | Key Points

The Centre has asked the states for the imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, and activate the "war rooms" and step up in Covid-19 containment, among other things.

Medical workers checks medicine and other essential items inside a Covid-19 coronavirus ward of a Civil hospital. | Image: AFP

The Health Ministry of India, in a letter, stated that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is "three times" more transmissible than the Delta variant. The center has issued a few guidelines to the states that include the imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, restricting numbers in offices, extensive testing, etc.

The Center asked the States and UTs to activate the "war rooms" and step up in Covid-19 containment. 

Letter by @MoHFW_INDIA to states regarding measures that need to be taken in view of initial signs of surge in cases of #COVID19 as well as increased detection of the Variant of Concern (VoC), #Omicron in different parts of the country. pic.twitter.com/YSEXQqQcAw

— PIB in Maharashtra 🇮🇳 (@PIBMumbai) December 21, 2021

Let us take a look at some of the key points that were pointed out in the letter by the Health Ministry:

-- The Health Ministry encouraged "effective decision making at the district level". It also stated that the district administration must constantly examine data on Covid-19 and it's geographical spread, to take timely action. 

-- The Center laid down the guidelines for what it called "threshold limits". The threshold limit, as per the center is test positivity of 10 percent or more in the last one week or 40 percent occupancy on oxygen supported or ICU beds.

-- Thus, to curb the spread of this "three-times transmissible virus", the government has laid down the following guidelines to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour.

-- The letter pressed on the need for "greater foresight, data analysis, dynamic decision making and strict and prompt containment action". It also said decision making at the State/UT and district level "must be very prompt and focused and take containment measures and restrictions even before these thresholds are reached".

-- Containment Zones & Buffer Zones must be declared promptly and cluster samples must be sent to INSACOG Labs for Genome Sequencing

-- For Test & Surveillance, the Centre has mentioned door-to-door case searches, contact tracing of all Covid-positive persons, especially of the ones who returned from overseas. 

-- Stringent Home Isolation Rules.

-- Ensure 100% vaccination and priorities those who haven't got their first jab. 

-- Regular press briefings so that misinformation is avoided. 

The center said that the district officers must conduct regular reviews with field officers to control the spread of Covid-19 and flatten the curve.