Omicron Surge: Yellow Alert Enforced in Delhi-NCR
New Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) announced yellow alert and issued restrictions for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday.
The alert was issued after the city witnessed a surge in Omicron cases to 1500 in a week, with an average occupancy of 500 oxygen beds per week. The rate of positive cases in the capital rose from 0.55 percent on Sunday to 0.68 percent on Monday.
“There is a rise in cases over the past few days. We are mostly experiencing mild and asymptomatic cases, and most admitted patients do not need oxygen or ICUs. But we do not want the disease to spread and people to fall sick,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said through a virtual address.
The restrictions are imposed under the covid-19 Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). “We had earlier notified GRAP to deal with increased cases. It was drawn up scientifically and would aid simpler implementation,” he added.
All schools, colleges, and other educational institutions will remain closed under the restrictions. Gyms, yoga centres, sports complexes, stadiums (except national/international sports events), entertainment parks, and movie theatres will also shut down.
Shopping complexes and malls dealing with non-essential commodities and services will follow the odd-even operational formula between 10 am to 8 pm, while one weekly market will be allowed to function per municipal zone at half–vendor capacity.
Stand-alone shops and shops selling essential commodities are permitted to remain open on all days.
Though hotels will remain open, banquet halls and auditoriums will remain closed. On the other hand, restaurants will operate at 50 percent capacity from 8 am to 10 pm, while Bars will function with a 50 percent capacity from 12 am to 10 am. Online food deliveries will also continue to operate as usual.
However, only 20 people are permitted to attend marriage and funeral-related gatherings, and all large gatherings-political, social, or religious, are prohibited until further orders.
Besides, public transport will function at a 50 percent capacity with no standing passengers. The government has also reduced the number of operational buses and metros to half. The Grade-I government officers will attend offices with a 100 percent capacity, whereas only 50 percent of private employees will attend offices between 9 am to 5 pm.
Kejriwal said, “The government will be forced to close markets if the crowding continued. Though we are 10 times more prepared, we do not want any citizen to fall sick and thus appeal everyone to wear masks.”
The yellow alert and its restrictions come after the State government extended the night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am on Monday.
(Avya Mathur)
