Lockdown, night curfew and closure of educational institutes – such terms are back in the news due to the rising COVID-19 cases in the country. Major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai are reporting an exponential increase in the number of cases. To add to this dire state is the Omicron variant which supposedly, spreads faster than any other existing variant. With the impending third wave, States/UTs like Delhi, Bihar and Punjab have either imposed a lockdown or restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. Here are all the latest reports –
DDMA Imposes Weekend Lockdown in Delhi
Rising cases in the national capital has compelled the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to impose a weekend curfew within the city. During this curfew, non-essential activities will not be permitted. Government offices with the exception of non-essential activities have to function from home. However, private offices can only function at the most, 50% capacity.
On a positive note, buses and metro will be functioning at full capacity to prevent overcrowding. Moreover, a yellow alert has been imposed in the UT bringing in a chain of restrictions such as night curfew from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am, shutting-down of educational institutes, closure of gyms and cinemas, etc. However, the UT is still pondering over a full-fledged lockdown as the cases in the capital are increasing by the day.
CM Nitish Kumar to Decide on Bihar Lockdown Soon
Bihar is another state which is witnessing a rising number of COVID-19 cases along with escalating Omicron scare. In light of this, the, CM Nitish Kumar will be announcing a firm decision on lockdown in the state after chairing a meeting with experts and other ministers. A decision is likely to come out today January 04, 2022, itself.
Schools in Patna however, have been shutdown for all students up to Class 8 due to the prevailing weather conditions. The cold weather and low temperatures can prove detrimental towards the health students. The shutdown has been imposed in both government and private schools.
Night Curfew in Punjab
Today, the Punjab government ordered the closure of schools, colleges and other educational institutes in light of rising cases in other states in India. Additionally, a night curfew has also been imposed within the state to restrict the public movement. Initially, a review meeting was conducted by the state government to take an overview of the COVID situation within the state. After much discussion and debate, several restrictions were implemented within Punjab.
Mumbai Schools Closed till January 31
In Mumbai, the government is deliberating on imposing a lockdown when the city reports 20,000+ COVID-19 cases on a daily basis. Right now, the state government has decided on closing schools and colleges for Class 1 to 9 and 11 till January 31, 2022. While Class 10 and 12 students can attend school in-person, Class 9 and 11 students need to visit school getting vaccinated.
Reopening of Schools for Class 1-5 Withheld in Odisha
Unsurprisingly, the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases within the country has prompted Odisha to think against opening up schools for Class 1-5. Previously, the plan was to open-up schools from January 03, 2022. However, after reviewing the on-ground situation and holding talks with stakeholders, the decision has been kept on-hold, at the moment.
West Bengal Shuts Down Schools & Colleges
Two major decisions have been taken by the West Bengal state government amid rising coronavirus cases in the country. To begin with, all education institutes have been shutdown along with the resumption of online classes. Moreover, teaching and non-teaching are allowed to attend school unless they have certain symptoms or are suffering from COVID-19. If they have been symptomatic in the recent past, they will need a negative test report for attending school.
Educational Institutes Shut Till January 15 in Jharkhand
Jharkhand is another state in the country to shutdown schools, colleges and other educational institutes to curb the spread of COVID-19. As per the state government directives, educational institues will be shutdown till January 15,2022. Moreover, parks, swimming pools, stadiums, zoos and tourist spots will also be shutdown for this brief period. However, such institutions can function at 50% capacity in terms of administrative staff.
