The Union Cabinet on March 23, 2021 approved COVID-19 vaccination for everyone above 45 years of age starting from April 1st. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar while addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, urged all eligible people to immediately register and get vaccinated.
The Minister said the vaccination is the shield against COVID 19. He also clarified that vaccines are available in enough numbers and there is no scarcity.
As per the advice by scientists & world scientist bodies, 2nd dose can be administered b/w 4th & 8th week, particularly for COVISHIELD. We appeal that all above 45 should take vaccine as early as possible that will provide them shield against Corona: Union Minister P Javadekar pic.twitter.com/K08tysFgFz
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2021
This comes as the new coronavirus caseload in the country touched 47,262 in the last 24 hours, which is the highest in the year 2021. India also reported 23,907 recoveries and 275 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry's statement on March 24, 2021.
MHA issues new guidelines to control COVID-19
With the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued vi)for effective control of COVID-19, which will come into effect from April 1, 2021 till April 30, 2021.
The new guidelines mandate the state and UT governments to strictly enforce the Test-Track-Treat protocol in all parts of the country.
States & UTs, where the proportion of RT-PCR tests is less, should rapidly increase it, to reach the prescribed level of 70% or more. The new positive cases, detected as a result of intensive testing, need to be isolated/ quarantined at earliest & provided timely treatment: MHA
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2021
Here are the full details of the new COVID-19 guidelines:
Test-Track-Treat protocol
i) The states and the union territories, where RT-PCR tests are less, have been mandated to rapidly increase it to reach the prescribed level of 70 percent or more.
ii)The new positive cases need to be isolated or quarantines at the earliest and be provided with timely treatment.
iii)The contacts of the positive cases need to be traced at the earliest and be similarly isolated or quarantined.
iv)Containment zones to be carefully demarcated by the district authorities at the micro-level based on the positive cases and their tracking while taking into consideration the guidelines prescribed by MoHFW in this regard.
v)List of containment zones to be notified on websites by respective district collectors and states/ UTs and shared with Health Ministry on a regular basis.
vi)Containment measures, as prescribed by the Health Ministry to be followed scrupulously within the demarcated containment zones. This includes strict perimeter control and intensive contact tracing and door-to-door surveillance.
vii)The local district/ police and municipal authorities will be responsible for ensuring the containment measures are strictly followed and the state/ UT governments shall ensure accountability of the concerned officers.
Following COVID appropriate behaviour
•The state and the UT governments will take all necessary measures to ensure that COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is followed at work places and in the public.
•The state/ UTs may consider administrative actions including the imposition of fines to ensure strict enforcement of wearing of masks and maintenance of social distancing and hand hygiene.
•The National Directives for COVID-19 management will continue to be followed throughout the nation.
Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to all Chief Secretaries: States/UTs to take all necessary measures to promote COVID19 appropriate behaviour in workplaces & in public, especially in crowded places. It is of utmost importance to follow the test-track-treat protocol pic.twitter.com/3Ru774dIGz
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2021
Restrictions
•The states and union territories may impose local restrictions based on their assessment of the situation at district/ sub-district and city and ward level to contain the spread of COVID-19.
•Further, SOPs have been prescribed for the movement of passenger trains, metro trains, air travel, hotels, restaurants, malls, multiplexes, schools, higher educational institutions, entertainment parks, gyms, yoga centres, exhibitions and assemblies and gatherings.
•These SOPs will be updated from time to time and shall be strictly enforced by the concerned authorities. Besides this, all activities have been permitted outside containment zones.
Inter-State and Intra-state movement
There will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods. No separate permit will be required for the same.
The centre has further asked all state and UT governments to rapidly step up their pace of vaccinations to cover all priority groups in a speedy manner.
Background
India has launched the world's largest vaccination drive against COVID-19 infection. The nation has so far vaccinated most of its healthcare and frontline workers, defence personnel and those above 60 years and above 45 years with co-morbidities. The vaccination drive will be widened to include everyone above 45 years from April 1st.
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