No dining out till March 31 as Capital tightens Covid curbs

CM announced the administration has started stamping hands of those mandated to be in quarantine

nNEWDELHI: The Delhi government on Thursday stepped up sweeping restrictions to prevent community spread of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) by prohibiting gatherings of more than 20 people and ordering the closure of all dine-in restaurants in the Capital till March 31.

To ensure isolation compliance from people who have either tested positive or are suspected being infected, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also announced that the administration has started stamping the hands of those mandated to be in quarantine.

The decisions, which are in addition to the government’s orders of shutting all educational institutions, weekly markets, cinema halls, gyms, nightclubs and spas, were taken in a meeting chaired by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Thursday to review the preventive measures taken by the city administration against the spread of the virus.

“All restaurants in Delhi shall remain closed till March 31. Home delivery and takeaway of food will, however, continue since a lot of people depend on it,” Kejriwal said in a press briefing after the L-G’S meeting.

Malls will continue to operate, but they have been asked to disinfect common touchpoints and have their premises routinely fumigated, and ensure thermal screening at the points of entry. On Thursday, most malls across the city were empty as people stayed away to safeguard themselves against the infection.

Senior officials in the state health department said the rule to shut restaurants also applies to dine-in facilities in hotels. “Room service in hotels will not be affected by this order though,” said one the officials who asked not to be named.

The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) welcomed the government’s decision and said it will be effective in containing the ongoing pandemic.

“This is actually the best move, it will be economically challenging for us in already troubled times, but if we have to combat this disease, this is the way to go. The NRAI had anyway issued an advisory a few days ago urging its member restaurants to close till March 3,” said Anurag Katriar, president, NRAI.

Kejriwal said that a tightening of its earlier rule, which barred gatherings of more than 50 people, to 20 people was done to further limit the possibility of the coronavirus infection spreading in large gatherings.

“We had recently announced that no social, political, religious, academic, cultural, family, sports and seminars gathering comprising of more than 50 people will be allowed in the city. We have brought down the number of people to 20 today,” he said.

Ten people in Delhi have so far tested positive for Covid-19 -- one died, another left for Singapore before his test result was revealed, and two have recovered. “The remaining six are recovering well,” Kejriwal said.

When asked if there were people in government quarantine who had tried to escape the facility or those in home quarantine found to be violating guidelines, the chief minister said: “We want to tell all these people who escape, that this is a very dangerous situation, and you can infect others who deliberately on non-deliberately come in your contact.”

The chief minister also warned again panic buying and asked people to remain cautious. “I want to request people to avoid panic buying. It will only worsen the situation. All the state governments and the central governments have worked in close coordination on the situation,” he said

His statement came after reports of a run at several Delhi markets, and people hoarding not just medical and hygiene supplies but also vegetables and food. Empty racks at supermarkets and five-day waiting period on online stores welcomed consumers on Thursday as people stocked up.

“We got several messages on Whatsapp that mandis will be shut and that all sticks are getting over. So, what option do we have other than keep at least two months of stock,” said Neeta Lalwani, a resident of Preet Vihar.

The government, however, has repeatedly clarified that mandis are not being closed and sought to assure that there are sufficient stocks in the Capital.

A statement from the L-G’S office said Baijal directed all enforcing agencies to register FIRS against those who violate home quarantine conditions under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), as prescribed under Regulation 18 of the Delhi Epidemic Diseases, Covid-19 Regulations, 2020, issued by the health and family department.

Baijal also directed the municipal corporations to begin a crackdown on those found spitting in public spaces by imposing spot fines on them. Covid-19 is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, which means to become infected, people generally must be within six feet of someone who is contagious and come into contact with these droplets.