Night curfew in Delhi from today, yellow alert likely amid spike

New Delhi: With the COVID-19 positivity rate touching 0.55 percent, the Delhi government has decided to re-impose a night curfew from Monday. Officials said the night curfew will kick in under the four-stage Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) if the positivity rate settles at 0.5 percent for two consecutive days.

Under GRAP, a 'Yellow' alert will come into force if the positivity rate settles at 0.5 percent for two consecutive days, leading to a host of restrictions. Official sources said Sunday usually sees a lower number of tests which might affect the positivity rate. Yet night curfew will commence on Monday from 11 PM and last till 5 AM.

Delhi reported 290 fresh coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest since June 10, and one fatality, while the positivity rate rose to 0.55 percent, according to data shared by the Delhi government's health department here.

On June 10, the national capital had reported 305 cases and 44 deaths. The cumulative tally has now risen to 14,43,352 while the death toll is 25,105. The number of active cases stands at 1,103, of which 583 patients are in home isolation.

States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka have also reimposed night curfew. Night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, and shops of non-essential items, and halved seating capacity in metro trains are the other restrictions that will come in place under the yellow alert.

GRAP was approved by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority in July in anticipation of the third wave of COVID-19. It aims to bring in a clearer picture of imposition and lifting of restrictions depending on the coronavirus situation.

Curfew from 10 PM to 5 AM will be imposed during Yellow, Amber and Orange alerts. If the 'Red' alert is sounded, there will be "total curfew".

The 'Yellow' (level-1) alert will be sounded when the positivity rate crosses 0.5 percent or new cases increase to 1,500 or oxygenated bed occupancy reaches 500. The response will involve allowing construction, manufacturing activities and opening of shops of essential goods.

Shops and establishments of non-essential goods and services and malls will be allowed to open between 10 AM and 8 PM based on the odd-even formula. Only one weekly market per zone with 50 percent of vendors will be allowed to open.

Restaurants will be permitted with 50 percent capacity from 8 AM to 10 PM while bars can also operate with the same capacity, but from 12 noon to 10 PM. Marriages and funerals will be allowed with 20 people in attendance while all other types of gatherings will be prohibited.

The Delhi Metro will run at 50 percent seating capacity while auto-rickshaws and cabs can ferry up to two passengers. Buses will ply with only 50 percent exempted category passengers, according to GRAP.

Cinema halls, banquet halls, spas, gyms, outdoor yoga activity, amusement parks, stadiums, swimming pools, schools and colleges will not be allowed if the 'Yellow' alert is sounded. Religious places will be open but without visitors.

Parks and gardens can open. Private offices can function with up to 50 percent of employees. In Delhi government offices also, barring certain categories of officials, only half of the remaining employees will be allowed.