Night curbs to begin from Oct 21 - Restrictions on all outdoor activities at night, including the movement of people and vehicles

MP | 20 Oct 2021 | Kolkata/New Delhi: Restrictions on all outdoor activities at night, including the movement of people and vehicles, will be reinstated from October 21. 

Directions have been given to all District Magistrates in a virtual meeting on Tuesday, headed by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, to take strict measures if anyone is found flouting night restrictions. 

The state government had allowed the movement of people and vehicles between 11 pm and 5 am for 10 days from October 10 to 20 in view of Durga Puja. The Lakshmi Puja is taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday. With the end of Lakshmi Puja, the night restrictions would once again come into force. 

This comes when the state government's Covid restrictions are in place till October 30. 

Sources said that steps have been taken to ensure the strict imposition of night restrictions to curb the spike in Covid cases. This comes when 726 new cases were reported and the disease claimed nine lives in the past 24 hours. 

Meanwhile, highlighting that the nation is close to administering a billion Covid vaccine doses, the Centre has urged states and Union Territories to focus on increasing the coverage of the second dose in light of adequate availability of shots. 

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 99 core on Tuesday, the Union Health ministry said. 

More than 37 lakh (37,92,737) vaccine doses were administered till 7 pm, it said. 

The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night, the ministry said. India logged 13,058 new infections, the lowest in 231 days, taking the total tally of covid-19 cases to 3,40,94,373 out of which 3,34,58,801 people have recuperated, according to the Union Health ministry data updated on Tuesday. 

The death toll climbed to 4,52,454 with 164 fresh fatalities that include 60 from Kerala and 27 from Maharashtra while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent, according to the data updated at 8 am. 

The active cases have declined to 1,83,118, the lowest in 227 days. A decrease of 6,576 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, it stated. 

The Union government has also sought from the states suggestions in formulating new guidelines for international travel. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reviewed the progress of vaccination with Health Secretaries and mission directors of national health missions in states and UTs, through a video conference on Monday, according to a ministry statement. 

Bhushan highlighted that the nation is close to administering a billion doses and congratulated the states and UTs for their effort to vaccinate all citizens. It was highlighted that a sizeable number of beneficiaries have not received their second dose of the Covid vaccine. 

The states and UTs were urged to focus on the second vaccination dose, the statement said. 

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has permitted all restaurants and eateries to function till midnight, according to a government notification issued by state's Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte on Tuesday. 

The notification comes a day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting with the state's COVID Task Force and directed officials to prepare guidelines for extending the operational hours for restaurants and shops. 

All restaurants and eateries may be allowed to function till midnight 12 am and all other establishments that have been allowed to function by the government may be allowed to function till 11 pm, the notification said. 

The state government has allowed the reopening of amusement parks, theatres and drama theatres from October 22. 

However, water rides in amusement parks have still not been permitted, it added. 

"We are slowly relaxing the restrictions and the number of patients seems to be decreasing. We are also reopening cinemas and theatres from October 22. There is a constant demand to extend the working hours of restaurants and shops," a statement quoting Thackeray had said. 

Maharashtra reported 1,485 Covid cases on Monday, the lowest daily count in more than 17 months, and 27 deaths, taking the infection tally to 65,93,182 and the toll to 1,39,816, as per the state Health department. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/covid-night-curbs-to-begin-from-oct-21-456417