New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Delhi imposed Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) ahead of the New Year celebrations on December 28 after the positivity rate crossed 0.5 percent and stayed above it for two days.
The first level or restrictions came in the form of yellow alert that led to night curfew, closure of schools, colleges, movie theatres, and gyms. However, there are concerns if the positivity rate, which currently stands at 4.59 percent, goes beyond a certain level then the capital city may impose a red alert.
However, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked people not to panic, saying most patients are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms and do not need hospitalisation.
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The GRAP plan lays down restrictions based on three parameters: positivity rate, cumulative active cases, and occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals. Such restrictions are classified under Yellow, Amber, Orange, and Red alerts. The yellow alert remains the lowest level while a red alert is categorised as the highest level that brings the city to a complete lockdown.
What will happen if the positivity rate goes beyond 5 percent?
If the positivity rate is over five percent for two consecutive days it would trigger a ‘red alert’ under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority-approved GRAP leading to a ‘total curfew’ and halting of most economic activities, according to news agency PTI.
The total curfew will include night as well as weekend restricting the movement of people. However, there will be certain exemptions based on the categories decided by the government.
Shops and establishments dealing with non-essential goods and services will be closed. Malls and weekly markets will also remain closed.
The restaurants and bars will be shut, and delivery of only essential items will be allowed. Hotels and lodges will be allowed to remain open, but with condition that no banquets/conferences will be organised. However, room service to in-house guests will be allowed.
Also, cinema halls, banquets, spas, yoga institutes have already shut under the current yellow alert, barbershops and beauty salons too will be asked to bring their shutters down.
In fact, the government offices too will be closed other than those providing essential and emergency services. Such establishments will be allowed to remain open with 100 percent staff attendance, according to GRAP. The same will be applicable to private offices.
The limitation on gatherings for weddings and funerals will be further brought down to 15, from the current 20.
The GRAP norms may also lead to shutting down of most other places including Delhi Metro, which is currently operating with 50 percent capacity.
On Sunday, the city recorded 3,194 new Covid-19 cases, a rise of 2,716 cases a day earlier. Sunday’s tally was the highest single-day rise since May 20.
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