The Delhi government has released a new order on stricter COVID-19 safety guidelines as cases continue to rise in the national capital amid the Omicron strain threat. The “Level 1” or “Yellow Alert” guidelines say cinema halls will be open on odd-even dates and gyms will be closed, while night curfew remains in force.
After a meeting with top officials Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “We have stayed above 0.5 per cent positivity rate for more than two days. We are enforcing Level-I (Yellow alert) of the Graded Response Action Plan. A detailed order on restrictions to be implemented will be released soon.”
The ‘Yellow alert’ involves restrictions like night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, alternate day opening of shops of non-essential items and halved seating capacity in Metro trains and public transport buses among others.
Delhi residents will have to face more stringent restrictions as the alert has been sounded on Tuesday. Though the union territory has not issued any guidelines yet, all the educational institutes might get closed for a brief period.
Besides, shops selling non-essential items will be opened on alternate days.
Malls will be open based on an odd-even formula from 10 AM to 8 PM.
Only one weekly market per zone with 50% vendors will be allowed to open.
The transport capacity of metros and other public buses will be halved. Marriage and funeral will also see a cut in the list of attendees.
Spas, gyms, yoga institutes and entertainment parks will remain closed, but outdoor yoga will be allowed.
Cinema halls, multiplexes, banquet halls and auditoriums will remain shut.
Hotels will remain open but banquets and conference halls inside the hotel will remain closed.
Sports complexes, stadiums and swimming pools will also be closed in yellow alert, although national or international sports events can be held.
Only 20 people will be allowed to attend the wedding ceremony and funeral.
Religious places will remain open but entry of devotees will be restricted.
There is also a provision to ban social, political, religious, festival and entertainment-related activities in this alert.
