Durga Puja 2020: 'Pandal' Hopping On Your Cards? Did You Check The Latest Covid- 19 Protocols Yet?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released SOPs for the upcoming festivities. This year due to the pandemic celebrations will not be allowed in areas declared as containment zones.

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New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has drafted Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the festival season that begins in October. While festivities are not allowed in Containment Zones, measures outlined by MoHFW are to prevent Covid-19 from spreading. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla had chaired a meeting earlier to chalk out plans which were attended by various representatives of different central ministries and the Central Armed Police Forces through video conference. According to a PTI report, a government official said that during the meeting, they discussed ways to carry out a renewed campaign which will focus on three key elements of human behaviour in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The campaign will aim at spreading awareness about "appropriate COVID-19 behaviour" in view of forthcoming festivals. The three elements that are mandatory are- wearing masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene. On Tuesday, the MOHFW issued SOPs for the festivals. The SOPs include the general standards of maintaining 6ft distance, the use of face covers/masks which will be mandatory, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.  Here are some essential SOPs for the festival season

• Self-monitoring of health by all and reporting any illness at the earliest to State and District Helpline.
• Spitting should be strictly prohibited.
• Installation & use of Aarogya Setu App shall be advised to all.
• Persons above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home. This applies to the event managers and staff as well.
• All public utility common areas like benches, doorknobs, elevator buttons have to sanitized at regular intervals using a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution.
•  In case a person shows symptoms they have to be put in an isolation room away from the general crowd until medical help can arrive.

Event organisers will have to adhere to Covid -19 protocols 

• Festive events shall be permitted only outside the Containment Zones. Organizers/staff/visitors from Containment Zones shall not be permitted. Those residing in containment zones will be encouraged to celebrate at home.
• Provisions need to be made to make contactless payments.
• Organisers will have to arrange personal protection gears like face covers/masks, hand sanitizers, soap, sodium hypochlorite solution for their staff.
• Entrances will have mandatory hand hygiene and thermal screening provisions.
• Proper crowd management will also have to ensured.