Covid Guidelines Ahead Of Festive Season: Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra Issue Fresh Rules - Know More

The move comes in wake of the Centre asking the states to revise their guidelines to ensure required restrictions are imposed on public gatherings to avoid crowding.

COVID-19 (File Pic)

New Delhi: As fears continue unabated with regard to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, several state governments have as a precautionary measure ahead of the festive season begun re-imposing strict restrictions to control further spread of the virus.

The move comes in wake of the Centre asking the states to revise their guidelines to ensure required restrictions are imposed on public gatherings to avoid crowding.

READ: Even Third Wave Will Be Over: SC Slams Centre Over Delay In Framing Covid Relief Guidelines

Kerala:

Kerala is currently the worst-hit state from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Kerala government has issued order stating that strict action would be taken against those violating the quarantine norms. The order states that provisions of the Disaster Management Act, Kerala State Epidemic Act and other relevant legal provisions will be invoked.

The state government had last month announced to re-impose Sunday lockdown following a spike in Covid-19 daily caseload since the Onam festival on August 23.

The state has been recording over 29,000 fresh Covid cases for the past three days even after the government restricted mass gatherings ahead of festivals such as Muharram and Onam.

Karnataka:

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led government had earlier on Monday mandated week-long institutional quarantine for the people coming from Kerala.

Besides, the state government has also made testing on the seventh day compulsory even if the people are vaccinated and hold a negative RT-PCR test.

Night curfew has been relaxed in districts other than Kodagu, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi districts. In view of the high caseload in Kerala, it was decided that districts near its borders will not have any relaxations.

Weddings and other events are permitted with 50 percent occupancy of halls, with a maximum limit of 400 guests.

Maharashtra:

Maharashtra’s weekly positivity rate has increased marginally from 2.48 percent to 2.6 percent in the week between August 25 to September 1 compared to the week between August 18 and 24.

With districts such as Mumbai, Thane and Pune recording the highest rise, the health experts attribute the rise in Covid-19 cases to the lockdown relaxations starting the second week of August.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led government has issued fresh rules for international passengers flying into Mumbai and other airports of Maharashtra to ensure there is no further spread of Covid-19.

All international flyers, including those who have taken both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, are required to carry an RT-PCR negative test not older than 72 hours, as per the order.

Tamil Nadu:

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had earlier on Monday announced to extend the Covid restrictions imposed in the state till September 15. The beaches in Tamil Nadu, as per the state government order, cannot be accessed by the people on Sunday. Besides, they will also not be allowed to enter the places of worship on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The ban on religious gatherings and events will remain.

The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has also reopened the educational institutions from September 1. The state reported 1,568 fresh Covid cases, 1,657 recoveries and 19 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Assam:

As per the directive issued by Assam’s health department earlier on Wednesday, all Covid-19 double vaccinated incoming passengers have been exempted from RT-PCR tests on arrival at airports, railways and road border points.

The passengers, who are vaccinated with a single dose or not having any vaccination, and those who are symptomatic, even with two doses of vaccines, shall have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR testing at their own cost on arrival in the state.

It was mandatory for the people with double doses of vaccine to undergo the RT-PCR test on arrival or produce a negative report of the test undertaken within 72 hours prior to arrival, as per the earlier order.

Odisha:

There is no weekend shutdown across Odisha anymore, as per the new Covid-19 guidelines announced by the state government.

The night curfew, however, continues in urban areas from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The new guidelines will remain in force from September 1 to October 1.