With the growing cases of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, many States have opted for lockdown while some have taken to partial lockdown on weekends.

The surge in the cases has led to some more States going in for lockdown.

Haryana

Describing it as a preventive step against the prevailing Coronavirus, Haryana on Sunday imposed a complete lockdown in the State for seven days. Starting from May 3, the announcement of this lockdown was made by Anil Vij, Haryana’s Cabinet Minister, in charge of Home Affairs, Health Services, Ayush, Medical Education, Science and Technology and Sports and Youth Affairs.

Earlier, the State had imposed a weekend lockdown from Friday 10 p.m. to Monday 5 a.m. in nine of the most-affected districts of Haryana. These are Panchkula, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad.

The State Government as a precaution has decided to close all colleges, coaching institutions, ITIs, libraries, training institutes, both government and private, till May 31. Further all Anganwadi centres and creches under the Women and Child Development Department in the State too will remain closed up to May 31.

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Yesterday, it was also decided that employees with severe disabilities, vulnerable persons and pregnant women shall not be called for duty, even if they are engaged in essential services. If required, they can work from home provided they have the necessary infrastructure. The exemption will remain in force till further orders.

Also employees 50 years and above, and those suffering from hypertension, blood pressure, heart or lung disease, cancer and other chronic diseases which are at high risk of developing a serious illness shall not be exposed to any frontline work requiring direct contact with the public, it said.

Odisha

In the wake of the rising Coronavirus cases, Odisha Government on Sunday announced sweeping restrictions. There will be a complete lockdown for 14 days which will start from May 5 and will continue till May 19.

As per the guidelines issued by the State Government, a person can walk only 500 metres to buy vegetables from 7 a.m. till 12 noon every day.

However, no restrictions has been imposed by the government on the movement of essential services and people related to health care facilities and services.

Further, the order also stated that the State will witness a complete shutdown on weekends starting 6 p.m. on Fridays till 5 a.m. on Monday. During weekends, they will only be able to avail medical services.

Both the weekday and weekend lockdowns shall not be applicable to the election-related works such as movement of election-related personnel from their place of residence to the place of training, disbursal, polling station and back, movement of election materials, movement of magistrates, election supervising officials and law and order personnel, candidates, authorized personnel including polling and counting agents and voters on the date of poll and conduct of poll and counting of votes, in respect of bye-election to the 110-Pipili Assembly constituency.

Primarily aimed at curbing the movement of persons, the lockdown will not affect movement of goods and goods carriers.

Following are prohibited during the two-week lockdown.

• Buses for public transport.
• Intra-State movement of individuals by road, except for medical reasons or for activities permitted under these guidelines.
• All educational, training, coaching institutions, etc., except as allowed by Government. However, physical conduct of examinations by state/ national/ international bodies shall be allowed on a case to case basis by the respective Departments with due intimation to all concerned authorities.
• Exhibitions/ Trade Fairs/ Melas/ physical Business to Business meetings are prohibited. However, such activities may be taken up in virtual mode.
• Taxis (including auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws) and services of cab aggregators (except as specified in subsequent paragraphs of this order).
• All cinema halls, malls, market complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, parks, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls, Merry-go-round (Doli) / Meena bazaar and related activities and similar places.
• Jatra/ opera/ open-air theatres shall not be allowed to operate.
• All salons/ barbershop, spa. beauty parlour etc. shall remain prohibited.
• All social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/ other gatherings.
• All religious places/ places of worship shall be closed for the public. However religious rituals are allowed with bare minimum priests/ servitors and staff. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
• Marriages shall be permitted with approval from local authorities, with not more than 50 persons and in case of funerals and last rites the number of persons participating shall not be more than 20.

Activities allowed during the lockdown.

• Hospitals. nursing homes, clinics, telemedicine facilities.
• Dispensaries, chemists, pharmacies. all kinds of medicine shops including Jan Aushadhi Kendras and medical equipment shops.
• Medical laboratories and collection centres.
• Pharmaceutical and medical research labs, institutions carrying out COVID-19 related research.
• Veterinary Hospitals, dispensaries, clinics. pathology labs, sale and supply of vaccine and medicine.
• Authorised private establishments, which support the provisioning of essential services, or efforts for containment of COVID-19, including home care providers, diagnostics, supply chain firms serving hospitals.
• Manufacturing units of drugs, pharmaceuticals. medical devices, medical oxygen, their packaging material, raw material and intermediates.
• Construction of medical/ health infrastructure including manufacture of ambulances.
• Movement (inter and intra State, including by air) of all medical and veterinary personnel, scientists. nurses. para-medical staff. lab technicians, midwives and other hospital support services, including ambulances.