Fighting Covid 2.0 – how some key states are shaping up

By S. Ravi

New Delhi, April 17: With the second wave of Covid-19 or Corona virus hitting the country, States and Union Territories have geared up their response in tune with local conditions.

Here are some of the measures which some of States with a high-case load have adopted to combat the second fierce assault by virus.

Maharashtra
Among the regions, Maharashtra continued to reel under the Covid-19. As on April 16, it had a total of 6,21,646 active Covid-19 cases.

Restrictions on the movement of people in the state under the prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed from April 14 which will remain until May 1. Essential services are exempted from this. All the establishments, public places, activities and services are to remain closed.

Essential categories that will be allowed are hospitals, diagnostics centres, clinics, vaccination, medical insurance offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and other medical and healthcare services. Also included are veterinary services/animal care shelters and pet food shops.

To ease life for the public, groceries, vegetable shops, fruit vendors, dairies, bakeries and all types of food shops have been exempted. Likewise public transport, including airlines, trains, buses and autos will be allowed during the curfew.

Others who are exempted are telecom services, water supply services, accredited media, IT services, petrol pumps security agencies, ATMs, etc.

Leading the vaccination drive Maharashtra as on April 15 had administered 1.11 crore doses.

Chhattisgarh
The State created from Madhya Pradesh is facing a deteriorating situation and now accounts for second highest active caseload in India at 1,21,769.

The State Government issued orders to impose complete lockdown in 17 districts by the respective administrations. These include Koriya, Jashpur, Dhamtari, Baloda Bazar, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Raipur, Durg, Korba, Rajnandgaon, Balod, Bemetara and Bijapur among others,

Rules regarding lockdown are the same in all the districts. The milk booths and newspaper delivery will be allowed from 6 am-8 am, and 6 pm-7.30 pm.

While medical shops and petrol pumps will be operational, strict Covid protocol has to be followed. The petrol pumps have been instructed to service only ambulances, ATM vans, mediapersons and government officers.

No one will be allowed on the streets except those involved in essential services.

Markets, shops, offices, vegetable vends, provision stores, liquor shops, commercial and departmental zones, temples and tourism sites will be shut.

To keep track and check on the pandemic, the State Government will start RTPCR testing facilities at airports and railway stations. For those flying it is mandatory to have a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours and those not having it, will be tested at the airport itself.

Uttar Pradesh
The state of Uttar Pradesh is third in the list with 1,29,848 active cases.

To counter the growing cases, the UP Government has extended the night curfew timings in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Meerut and Gorakhpur and seven other districts having over 2,000 active Covid-19 cases. In these districts night curfew starts from 8 p.m. and continues till 7 a.m. Further it was decided to impose lockdown in all the districts on Sunday.

In order to ensure that masks are worn, the State has doubled the fine to Rs 1,000 for those caught without masks for the first time. Repeat of the offence by the same individual will make the fine 10 times more.

With a view to break the chain of the second surge of Covid-19, the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Government launched 'Focussed Vaccination Drive' from April 8.

In this drive, Covid-19 vaccines would be administered to those high-risk groups above the age of 45 years who move around often in the public and are vulnerable to catch and spread coronavirus.

For example, on April 8 and 9, the State government vaccines were administered to media persons, traders and shopkeepers, while on April 10, it for the bank, insurance and related organizations' employees.

The three-day drive on April 12, 13 and 14 covered teachers of schools, colleges and universities while 15 and 16 was for auto, bus drivers, rickshaw pullers and roadside stall owners.

April 17 and 19 is for those frontline workers who were unable to take vaccines due to some reason and April 20 and 21 has been fixed for lawyers and employees of state Judicial services. Employees of the private sector will be given vaccines on April 22 and 23.

Karnataka
The State on Friday recorded 14,859 new Covid-19 cases and as on April16 it has 96,580 active cases.

With the aim to contain the pandemic the State Government on Friday announced fresh curbs on various social events and tightening of its borders.

It is being hinted that the Government will extend the night curfew currently in force in eight cities, beyond April 20.

Further, in an order, the Government has put a cap on marriage guests not to exceed 100 in an indoor venue and 200 outdoors. For political events capping has been done at 200 people, while religious gatherings have been prohibited.

The State has decided to further intensify Covid-19 rules in airports, bus stands and railway stations. At these places, thermal screening, rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests will be made mandatory.

Keeping an open mind, the authorities are also thinking of other districts where the night curfew should be imposed. This will be decided on April 20.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

--indianarrative/

( 906 Words)

2021-04-17-20:48:04
Source: IANS