MHA issues guidelines on Surveillance, states/ UTs mandated to strictly enforce containment measures

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home affairs on Wednesday issued new guidelines for surveillance, containment and caution against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The fresh norms will be effective from December 1 till December 31.

The Ministry urged states and UTs to ensure careful demarcation of Containment Zones by the district authorities, at the micro level, taking into consideration the guidelines prescribed by MoHFW in this regard.  Under the new guidelines, states and UTs cannot impose local lockdown outside containment zones without Centre’s permission. However, it can impose restrictions like night curfew only in containment zones. The Centre has also permitted states to reduce the ceiling for social/ religious/ sports/ entertainment/ educational/ cultural/ religious gatherings to 100 persons or less, in closed spaces.

Within the demarcated Containment Zones, containment measures, as prescribed by MoHFW, shall be scrupulously followed, which includes:

• Only essential activities shall be allowed in the Containment Zones.
• There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services.
• There shall be intensive house-to-house surveillance by surveillance teams formed for the purpose.
• Testing shall be carried out as per prescribed protocol.
• Listing of contacts shall be carried out in respect of all persons found positive, along with their tracking, identification, quarantine and follow up of contacts for 14 days (80 percent of contacts to be traced in 72 hours).
• Quick isolation of COVID-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities/ home (subject to fulfilling the home isolation guidelines).
• Clinical interventions, as prescribed, shall be administered.
• Surveillance for ILI/ SARI cases shall be carried out in health facilities or outreach mobile units or through fever clinics in buffer zones.
• Awareness shall be created in communities on COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

Local district, police and municipal authorities shall be responsible to ensure that the prescribed Containment measures are strictly followed and State/ UT Governments shall ensure the accountability of the officers concerned in this regard.

The Centre has also allowed states to impose local restrictions, including night curfews to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. The states, however, cannot impose any local lockdown, outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the central government.

It has also told states to ensure social distancing in workplaces and said that they may consider staggered timings. “In cities, where the weekly Case Positivity Rate is in more than 10 percent, States and UTs concerned shall consider implementing staggered office timings and other suitable measures, with a view to reduce the number of employees attending office at the same time, thereby ensuring social distancing,” it said in a statement.

The home ministry said that the main focus of the guidelines is to consolidate the substantial gains that have been achieved against the spread of Covid-19, which it said is visible in the steady decline in the number of active cases in the country.

The Ministry further advised the citizens to Aarogya Setu mobile application.

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