REOPENING PLAN ENTERS PHASE 3

Guidelines for ‘Unlock 3’, the next phase of the reopening plan, will be in force till August 31

YOGA CENTRES, GYMS

Yoga institutes, gyms allowed to open from August 5; SOPS to be issued by Health Ministry. The ministry will come up with stringent social distancing norms and hygiene rules. deemed necessary. However, there shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements,” the guidelines said.

Like the previous guidelines for Unlock 1 and Unlock 2, the latest guidelines also advised those vulnerable (persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years) to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health care purposes.

The guidelines also said that the use of the Aarogya Setu mobile app should be encouraged.

According to a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity, Niti Aayog’s Dr VK Paul, who plays an important part in shaping the Centre’s Covid-19 strategy, and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) were separately consulted on what areas or activities were to be opened. “Both of them were very clear that Metro, schools and other places of mass gatherings can’t be opened at this crucial hour,” said the official involved in planning the guidelines.

The Union health ministry’s officials were skeptical about allowing activities with big crowds. According to another official, reopening of cinema halls was actively considered but it was struck down as the government maintained that a maximum 25% of the capacity can be filled up in a theatre — an offer that looked commercially unviable for many cinema hall owners.

During the interactions, many states opposed opening schools at this juncture.

The opening of gyms, according to the two officials, saw long discussions, as health ministry officials considered them places that will have a lot of aerosol due to intense physical activities. The ministry will come up with stringent social distancing norms and hygiene rules, the officials added.

Madhya Pradesh

Dadar & Nagar Haveli

Chhattisgarh

Maharashtra

Goa

Karnataka

Kerala