Scaling up preventive measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to impose night curfew across the state from December 25 as 49 new coronavirus positive cases were reported in the last 24 hours.
The restrictions will be in place from 11 pm to 5 am.
"The decision was taken in view of the surge in COVID-19 and Omicron cases across several states in the country. Surveillance committees, that played an effective role in bringing down the spread of COVID-19, are being reactivated in urban and rural areas in the light of the third wave so that they could help in monitoring the infection spread. Industrial units have been asked to set up Covid Help Desks and day care centres," a government spokesman said in Lucknow on Friday.
While reviewing the COVID-19 situation across the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reiterated that every passenger coming from outside into the state should be duly traced and RTPCR tests should be carried out at airports, railway stations and bus stations.
Appreciating the role of ICCC in Covid management, Yogi said that it should remain functional 24×7 and directed Health and Medical Education departments to review treatment facilities in all government and private medical institutions of the state.
Stressing on the usefulness of masks to prevent spread of coronavirus infection, the chief minister ordered a statewide awareness campaign in this regard. “A rise in the number of COVID-19 cases is being seen across several states and therefore a need was felt to take some stringent steps. In markets, a policy of ‘no mask, no service’ will be implemented. Vendors and traders should be told not to sell any commodity to a buyer without a mask. Masks should also be mandatory on roads and in markets. The police force should regularly monitor the situation and public address systems should be used to sensitise people,” the chief minister instructed.
Yogi also emphasised on the importance of full vaccination, saying, “Complete vaccination has proved to be effective in fighting new coronavirus variants like ‘Omicron’. Hence, the pace of the ongoing vaccination drive in the state should be expedited. All those who have not taken the second dose despite lapse of the stipulated time, should be contacted and administered the vaccine on a priority.”
In the past 24 hours, a total of 1.91 lakh samples were tested for novel coronavirus infection out of which 49 were positive while 12 COVID-19 patients recovered from the infection in the corresponding period. There are currently 266 active COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh and 37 districts have no active cases.