Focus on containment zones: Centre’s new guidelines to states

NEW DELHI: The Centre government has put out guidelines for states on enforcing lockdowns and containment zones to try and flatten the curve amid spiralling COVID-19 cases.

According to the new guidelines, when the positivity rate is 10 per cent or more for a week and when more than 60 per cent of hospitals beds are occupied, restrictions should be put in place.The Ministry of Home Affairs has urged states to go for an intensive, local and focused containment network in districts, cities and areas based on the parameters specified by the Union Home Ministry.Where or when to go for a lockdown, or what the Ministry calls a “large containment zone”, has to be based on evidence and analysis of the population affected, the geographical spread, hospital infrastructure, manpower and the ease of enforcing boundaries, according to the release. States have been given a broad framework for an objective, transparent, and epidemiologically sound decision-making on imposing a lockdown.

The main criteria are when positivity is 10 per cent or more for a week and if more than 60 per cent of beds, either oxygen-supported or ICU, are occupied by COVID patients. Restrictions have to be enforced for at least 14 days. The government also pitched for accelerating the pace of the vaccination drive and clarified that women can take COVID-19 vaccine during menstruation as well. Amid a shortage of medical oxygen, the government said India has enough medical oxygen available, but the challenge is to transport it to hospitals.

The government said it is taking various measures to ensure adequate supply of oxygen and asked hospitals for its judicious use and to plug leakage, if any.