Taking Precautions : Fear Of Omicron Puts States On Alert , Uttar Pradesh Imposes Night Curfew From 25th December; Maharashtra Orders Fresh Curbs

Picture : Twitter / ANI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued orders to initiate strict measures, including a statewide night curfew from December 25, in view of a rise in Covid cases in several states.

The coronavirus night curfew will be applicable from 11 pm to 5 am, a senior official said in Lucknow.

Chairing a high-level meeting, the chief minister also instructed officials to cap the number of people attending events like marriages to 200.

These events have to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, and organisers will be required to inform the local authorities about these, the official said.

Adityanath also asked the officials to ensure all traders follow the ‘no mask, no goods’ policy at their establishments, he said.

Masks should be made mandatory for everyone on the streets or in the markets. Police should carry out continuous patrols to ensure the guidelines are followed, the official said.

Adityanath directed the officials to ensure that people arriving in Uttar Pradesh from other states or abroad are traced and tested for coronavirus, and extra vigilance is maintained on buses, railway stations and airports, he said.

He asked for a close watch to be kept on the health of those coming from outside the state after testing them, and if required, they should be admitted to hospitals or be quarantined, the senior official said.

Mewnahile, The Maharashtra government has decided to impose fresh restrictions in the state to avoid crowding in view of the rising cases of COVID-19, and it will issue guidelines regarding these curbs, an official said on Friday.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement late night on Thursday that the guidelines will be issued on Friday.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held talks with the members of the state COVID-19 task force. They discussed the ways to avoid crowding during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, weddings and parties at hotels and restaurants, it said.

The statement said the meeting also discussed the restrictions imposed in other states and the spike in COVID-19 in USA and Europe.

The daily coronavirus case count in Maharashtra has been rising over the past few days.