With the COVID-19 curve dipping in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has further eased pandemic-linked restrictions by allowing the opening of multiplex, cine theatres, gymnasiums and sports complexes with strict Covid protocol in place.
The new guidelines will come into effect from July 5.
However, gyms in containment zones will remain closed and those that open will have to ensure social distancing. Specific markings must be made with sufficient distance to ensure social distancing in the premises.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Lucknow on Friday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath admitted that the business of cinema hall operators was severely affected due to the first and second waves of COVID-19 and their needs and problems should be considered sympathetically.
The chief minister, however, clarified that night curfew from 9 pm to 7 am every day and weekly closure of all markets and business establishments on Saturday and Sunday will continue till further orders. He also stressed the need for setting up of ‘Health ATMs’ in villages, small towns and metropolitan areas to provide better health facilities to the people of the state.
"Through these state-of-the-art machines, people can check many health parameters including body mass index, blood pressure, metabolic age, body fat, hydration, pulse rate, height, muscle mass, body temperature and oxygen content in the body and weight. Technicians should be trained to operate these machines. A detailed action plan in this regard should be prepared at the earliest,” Yogi said.
The chief minister also said that for sustainable COVID-19 management, awareness of the community and its involvement was paramount and reiterated the need for Covid appropriate behaviour and increased vaccination against the disease.
“Everyone must follow Covid protocols and ensure 100 per cent use of masks, sanitisers along with social distancing and maintenance of personal hygiene. The transmission has been controlled but the virus still exists,” he said.
Speaking on Purvanchal Expressway, the chief minister declared that soon the people of the state would be given the gift of the longest motorway of the country.
"Foundation stone of the Purvanchal Expressway was laid in July 2018 and now its construction is almost complete. An action plan should also be prepared for the development of industrial clusters along the expressway," he said.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Uttar Pradesh recorded less than 150 fresh COVID-19 cases for the first time since the second wave in the state. A total of 133 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. Fresh cases have declined by more than 37,900 from its peak which was 38,055 on April 24, a reduction by over 99 per cent. With this encouraging sign, the state’s recovery rate has climbed up to a healthy 99 per cent, testifying the success of numerous Covid control measures implemented efficiently.
Active COVID-19 cases have also drastically declined to 2,560, making it the lowest active case count for the state so far. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) - which shows the level of infections among people - has been registering a steady decline for several days, indicating signs that the dreaded COVID-19 wave is receding from the state. The TPR stands at 0.04 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, the lowest in the country.
In a big relief, none of the 75 districts of UP reported more than 15 fresh coronavirus cases and as many as 24 districts reported no case in the last 24 hours, whereas 49 districts reported new cases in single-digits. Only two districts reported new coronavirus positive cases in double digits, indicating that the deadly virus spread has been arrested greatly.