Covid-19: MP govt issues fresh guidelines for unlocking from June 1

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Amid declining coronavirus cases, the Madhya Pradesh government has issued new guidelines for unlocking the state in a phased manner and intensified its efforts to bring life back to normal.

Preparations are underway to open the markets in the state from June 1. The Madhya Pradesh government has formulated a special strategy to ensure unlocking the state.

Out of 52 districts in the state, only four districts -- Indore, Bhopal, Sagar and Morena are the ones where the Covid positivity rate is more than five per cent while in the remaining 48 districts it has remained below five per cent.

Depending upon the rate of infections, all districts in the state have been divided into two categories -- those with more than five per cent positivity rate and others with less than five per cent. Separate guidelines have been issued for all districts in the state.

A group of ministers was formed to make necessary recommendations for opening the markets and suggesting what kind of relaxations should be provided to the common man. These ministerial groups have submitted their recommendations which have been sent to all District Crisis Management groups.

According to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, after discussing these recommendations the District Crisis Management groups would take a decision regarding the unlock process and inform the general public on May 31.

Chouhan said there would be separate guidelines for unlocking of districts with more than five per cent positivity rate and those with less than five per cent. Restrictions would be imposed again if the infection spreads further.

The government has not yet taken any decision on opening of colleges, schools, coaching centres, shopping malls, cinema halls etc. However, the markets will open and close at the prescribed times. The weekend curfew will continue from Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. till Monday.

The group of ministers has yet to give recommendations on the opening of educational institutions. Public, entertainment, religious programmes, fairs etc will not be allowed to operate. More than four persons will not be allowed to visit the temples at a time. Only 10 persons will be able to attend a funeral and 20 persons would be permitted to attend a marriage event.

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said the fight against Covid-19 has to be a mass movement. Every person should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and should get vaccinated.

Every person should protect his family, village and city from the infection. Wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing norms and washing hands frequently, etc will have to be made an essential part of our lives, Chouhan added.

The emphasis of the state administration would be to ensure that not a single Covid infected patient steps out of their house. With maximum testing, every infected patient needs to be identified and would have to be kept in home isolation or Covid Care Centre and treated in the hospital if needed. Wherever infection spreads, micro-containment areas will be created as well as contact tracing of every corona positive patient would be done.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the 'Kill Corona' campaign will continue in rural and urban areas. Patients suffering with fever, common cold, cough, etc will be identified and treatment will be provided to them by giving a free medical kit. Vaccination acts as a protective shield against Covid-19. Awareness must be spread about vaccination by removing all misconceptions associated with it. Every person between 18 years and above must get vaccinated. It should also be ensured that not a single dose of the corona vaccine gets wasted.

Chouhan instructed the officials that red, green and yellow zones should be created in rural and urban areas according to the spread of the infection and restrictions should be implemented accordingly. Micro containment zones can also be created in two or four houses. Don't let the infection spread at any cost, he added.

--IANS

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