Amid a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases and a warning of 'third wave', states have started issuing lockdown guidelines. Night curfews, weekend curfews, restricted gathering, closing of schools — are among the several guidelines that states from Maharashtra to Delhi have imposed.
Meanwhile, as for the guidelines on home isolation for mild and asymptomatic infections, the Union health ministry's revised one says such patients will stand discharged and end isolation after at least seven days have passed from testing positive and no fever for 3 successive days".
Here is a look at the new guidelines imposed in various states.
We will keep updating this story with new rules, as they come in.
Karnataka
On Tuesday, Karnataka with a fresh spike in Covid cases (2,479 on January 4th) announced a series of additional measures to curb the spread of the virus.
- Weekend curfew has been imposed in the state starting January 7th for the next two weeks. It will apply from 10 pm on Friday night to 6 am on Monday morning.
- During the weekend curfew all industries including IT will be exempt. Restaurants and eateries will only be open for takeaway and delivery.
- Public places will remain closed on weekends.
- Night curfew will continue from 10 pm on 5 am on all other days.
- Pubs, malls, bars, restaurants, and theatres can operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- Gyms and swimming pools will be restricted to vaccinated individuals and operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- Offices can function Monday to Friday.
- There is a cap of 200 people for outdoor weddings and 100 for indoor functions.
- Travellers from Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra will need to produce a negative RT-PCR test report.
- In Bengaluru physical classes have been stopped for all except students of classes 10, 11 and 12. Medical, paramedical, and nursing colleges will also remain open.
Maharashtra
On Tuesday, Maharashtra's Covid tally witnessed a sharp spike with cases in Mumbai breaching the 10,000 mark. Mayor Kishori Pednekar appealed to citizens to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and warned of a lockdown if cases in Mumbai touch 20,000 a day.
- Section 144 remains in force until January 7th. Gatherings of any kind are prohibited.
- Marriages will be capped at 50 guests and funerals at 20.
- Schools for classes 1 to 9, and 11 remain shut till January 31st.
- Students in classes 10 and 12 will be allowed to attend physically.
- BMC, the municipal body, has revised guidelines for sealing buildings. A building or a wing of a building complex will be sealed if more than 20 per cent of the flats have Covid cases.
- Isolation of Covid patients has been made mandatory for 10 days from the onset of symptoms/ date of testing.
- All international passengers arriving in the state will need to undergo an RT-PCR test.
Delhi
As per its graded action plan, the capital is now on Yellow alert with the rise in Covid cases.
- Weekend curfew has been imposed in the capital from 10 pm to 5 am. Only essential services will be permitted on the weekends.
- Other exemptions include movement for marriage gatherings (under the 20 people cap) with a copy of wedding invite, Covid testing or vaccination, students going for examination and examiners.
Goa
With 631 fresh Covid cases and a positivity rate of over 10 per cent reported in Goa on Sunday, a night curfew was announced on Monday.
- Night curfew will be in place between 11 pm and 6 am every day.
- Schools and colleges remain closed until January 26th.
West Bengal
The state has imposed strict rules to curb the sudden spike in Covid cases.
- All educational institutions will remain shut from January 3rd onwards.
- Only essential services will be permitted between 10 pm and 5 am.
- Malls and markets will remain open till 10 pm with 50 per cent capacity only.
- Offices will function at 50 per cent capacity.
- Cinema halls and theatres will remain operational at 50 per cent capacity till 10 pm.
- Local trains will function at 50 per cent capacity till 7 pm. Long distance trains remain unaffected.
- There is a cap of 50 people at marriages and social gatherings, and 20 people at burials and funerals.
Haryana
- Educational institutes remain shut.
- Government offices will operate at 50 per cent. Persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and those residing in containment zones, will be exempted from physical attendance in offices.
- Public transport, restaurants, malls, and markets will be accessible only to those who are fully vaccinated.
- Swimming pools, cinema halls and entertainment parks will remain shut.
- In Gurugram, Faridabad, Panchkula, Sonipat, and Ambala, malls and markets will shut at 5 pm till January 12.
Tamil Nadu
- Night curfew will come into force on January 6th, from 10 pm to 5 am.
- There will be total lockdown on Sundays. Only essential services will remain open. Public transport will not function. Takeaways at restaurants will be allowed between 7 am and 10 pm.
- Buses, trains, and metros will operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- Pongal celebrations, both government and private remain postponed.
- Places of worship will remain shut on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Hotels and restaurants can operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- Kindergarten and playschools remain shut. No direct classes until January 10 for standards 1st to 9th. Classes for 10th to 12th and medical colleges will remain open as per SOPs. All other colleges will remain shut till January 20th.
- There is a cap of 100 for weddings and 50 people for funerals and burials.
- Entertainment and amusement parks will remain shut.
- Gyms, clubs, salons, theatres, and hotels will function at 50 per cent capacity.
- Sporting events are permitted in open grounds with precautions. Only 50 per cent audience will be allowed in closed stadiums.
Telangana
- Public meetings and mass gatherings including political, cultural, and religious remain prohibited.
- Schools and institutes remain open with Covid-appropriate behaviour.
- A Rs 1,000 fine will be imposed on those who aren't wearing masks in public places.
Uttar Pradesh
- Night curfew hours have been extended and will now be from 10 pm to 6 am.
- Government and private schools for classes 1 to 10 will remain shut till Makar Sankranti.
- If a district crosses 1,000 cases restaurants, pubs, theatres, and all public places will have to restrict entry to 50 per cent.
Bihar
- Night curfew will remain in force between 10 pm and 5 am. non-essential shops will be shut by 8 pm.
- Physical classes will only be conducted for classes 9 to 12 at 50 per cent capacity.
- Government and private offices will operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- All religious places will remain shut.
- Theatres, gyms, clubs, parks, and shopping malls will remain shut.
- Restaurants and eateries can run at 50 per cent capacity.
- Wedding will be capped at 50 people and funerals at 20.
- Social, political and cultural functions will require prior permission and be capped at 50 attendees.
Gujarat
The cities of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Jamnagar, remain under night curfew between 11 pm and 5 am.
Rajasthan
Night curfew has been announced between 11 pm and 5 am. Gatherings will be restricted to a maximum of 100 people.
Kerala
The number of people allowed to attend weddings and other functions if capped at 75. For outdoor events, a maximum of 150 people will be allowed.