The Delhi government on Friday recommended lifting of weekend curfews – ordered from 10 pm Fridays to 5 am Mondays – in the national capital in view of declining Covid cases. The file has been forwarded to the office of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for his approval.
Shops and commercial establishments, which had been allowed to operate on the odd-even basis to limit crowds in public spaces, can now open on all days. Private offices, told to shift to WFH, or ‘work from home’, mode where possible, can now function with 50 per cent attendance.
Unless a fresh DDMA order is out, all existing restrictions under yellow alert will continue under which educational institutions, gyms, and cinemas are closed.
The weekend curfew prohibits all non-essential activities and exempts businesses and individuals engaged in essential services.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday had said coronavirus cases have decreased in the city over the last four days as the weekend curfew is proving to work and assured migrant workers there will be no lockdown in the national capital.
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“Weekend curfews have played a significant role in this decline. However, this trend indicates that the number of cases in Delhi is decreasing, but the government is still keeping a close eye on the covid cases.
Jain urged people to wear masks at all times and adhere to all covid protocols such as maintaining social distancing, hand sanitisation at regular intervals.
Delhi on Thursday reported 12,306 fresh Covid-19 cases, down from 13,785 infections on Wednesday. In the span of 10 days, daily cases have gone down from a high of over 28,000. Hospitalisations are also down, Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said.
Last week, Jain had said the fifth Covid-19 wave in the national capital has peaked and caseloads are expected to fall going forwards. He had asserted that weekend curfew and preemptive restrictions helped in curbing the spread of the virus.
DDMA on January 4 imposed the weekend curfew as part of the efforts to arrest Covid-19 transmission as Omicron-driven wave swept through the Capital.
(With inputs from agencies)
