The Union Home Ministry on Monday extended the Covid-19 Pandemic Guidelines for Surveillance, Containment and Caution to January 31, asking States to keep vigil on the tackling of new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom.
The current guideline was issued up to December 31.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order today to extend the earlier Guidelines for Surveillance to remain in force up to 31.01.2021. While there has been a continuous decline in the active and new Covid-19 cases, there is need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK),” said the Home Ministry in a statement.
The Ministry said containment zones should be demarcated carefully and prescribed containment measures must be strictly followed within these zones.
“Covid-appropriate behaviour promoted and strictly enforced; and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect of various permitted activities followed scrupulously,” said the MHA asking States to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed by the Union Health Ministry.
In November, the MHA had said in addition to guidelines already in place since October, States and Union Territories, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions, such as a night curfew. However, the MHA has said State Governments shall not impose any local lockdown outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Union Government.
The Government has advised vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.