Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the Punjab government on Tuesday decided to institute a night curfew, shut educational institutions, and allow cinema halls to operate with 50 per cent capacity to arrest the spread of the infection. Movement of individuals for all non-essential activities shall remain prohibited between 10pm to 5am within municipal limits of all cities and towns of Punjab, according to an order issued by the home affairs and justice department on Tuesday. All educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities, and coaching institutions, shall remain closed, it further said. Bars, cinema halls, multiplexes, malls, restaurants, spas, museums, and zoos shall be allowed to operate at 50 per cent of their capacity subject to all employees being fully vaccinated, it said.
At the same time, other states are considering similar measures. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will today discuss more restrictions, including sounding of red alert' that entails total curfew and closure of non essential shops. The 'red alert' (Level 4) is the topmost level of restrictions including closure of all non essential shops, metro trains, government offices except those dealing with essential services, under four-stage Graded Response Action Plan approved by the DDMA.
The agenda of the meeting included review of COVID-19 situation and preparation in the wake of rising Omicron cases in Delhi, discussion on implementation of GRAP (Level 4 Red), and review of vaccination programme. The DDMA in its last meeting on December 29 had decided that COVID-related restrictions imposed in Delhi under the 'yellow alert' would continue in view of a low number of hospitalisations.