National lockdown extended by two weeks
By Priyanka Anil
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 1 May 2020 extended the national lockdown, imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, by two more weeks. The extension is in addition to the ongoing second phase of lockdown due to end on 3 May 2020. The directives mentioned in the MHA order will come into effect on 4 May 2020.
Lockdown 3.0 will be less restrictive and the strictness has been decided considering the extent of the spread of COVID-19 in the respective Red, Orange and Green Zones. Specific guidelines issued include mandatory use of Aarogya Setu app for residents of containment zones, reopening of liquor and paan shops in green zones, etc. Prohibited activities include travel by air, rail metro and inter-state roads. Educational institutions, coaching centres, hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, malls, gyms will also remain closed.
After a comprehensive review, and in view of the Lockdown measures having led to significant gains in the COVID-19 situation in the country, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI) issued an Order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, on 1 May 2020, to further extend the Lockdown for a further period of two weeks beyond May 4, 2020. MHA also issued new guidelines to regulate different activities in this period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into Red (hotspot), Green and Orange Zones. The guidelines have permitted considerable relaxations in the districts falling in the Green and Orange Zones.
The criteria for identification of districts as Red, Green and Orange Zones have been spelt out in detail in the letter dated April 30, 2020, issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), GoI. The Green Zones will be districts with either zero confirmed cases till date; or, no confirmed case in the last 21 days. The classification of districts as Red Zones will take into account the total number of active cases, doubling rate of confirmed cases, extent of testing and surveillance feedback from the districts. Those districts, which are neither defined as Red nor Green, shall be classified as Orange zones. The classification of districts into Red, Green and Orange Zones will be shared by MoHFW with the States and Union Territories (UTs) on a weekly basis, or earlier, as required. While States and UTs can include additional districts as Red and Orange Zones, they may not lower the classification of a district included by MoHFW in the list of Red or Orange Zones.
Here is the link to the MHA order.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 1 May 2020 extended the national lockdown, imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, by two more weeks. The extension is in addition to the ongoing second phase of lockdown due to end on 3 May 2020. The directives mentioned in the MHA order will come into effect on 4 May 2020.
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| The COVID-19 particle (for representation purpose only) |
After a comprehensive review, and in view of the Lockdown measures having led to significant gains in the COVID-19 situation in the country, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI) issued an Order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, on 1 May 2020, to further extend the Lockdown for a further period of two weeks beyond May 4, 2020. MHA also issued new guidelines to regulate different activities in this period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into Red (hotspot), Green and Orange Zones. The guidelines have permitted considerable relaxations in the districts falling in the Green and Orange Zones.
The criteria for identification of districts as Red, Green and Orange Zones have been spelt out in detail in the letter dated April 30, 2020, issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), GoI. The Green Zones will be districts with either zero confirmed cases till date; or, no confirmed case in the last 21 days. The classification of districts as Red Zones will take into account the total number of active cases, doubling rate of confirmed cases, extent of testing and surveillance feedback from the districts. Those districts, which are neither defined as Red nor Green, shall be classified as Orange zones. The classification of districts into Red, Green and Orange Zones will be shared by MoHFW with the States and Union Territories (UTs) on a weekly basis, or earlier, as required. While States and UTs can include additional districts as Red and Orange Zones, they may not lower the classification of a district included by MoHFW in the list of Red or Orange Zones.
Here is the link to the MHA order.
On 25 April 2020, marking the successful completion of exactly a month since the national lockdown began, The Draft, in conjunction with DraftCraft Films, released 'Lights, Sound ... Lockdown' - a documentary capturing 'Mumbai In The Time Of COVID-19' at Ground Zero.
