Uttar Pradesh govt issues guidelines to tackle COVID-19; here's what allowed, what's not

The Uttar Pradesh Government on Saturday night announced new COVID-19 guidelines depending upon the downfall in infections. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced that relaxation in the corona curfew will be implemented from Monday, June 21. The government has however instructed citizens to strictly adhere to the COVID protocols amid ease in restrictions.

According to the new guidelines, here's what allowed:

• Relaxation from 7 AM to 9 PM has been given to establishments for five weekdays. 

• Restaurants allowed to open in hotels with fifty percent capacity.
• Zoo will open with restrictions.
• Malls can function with COVID protocols and additional measures of thermal screening and COVID help desk at the entrance. 
• A maximum of fifty people will be allowed to attend wedding ceremonies. 
• Outside the Containment Zone, markets and shops across the state will be allowed to open five days a week from 7 am to 9 pm. 
• Apart from this, eating standing or sitting has also been allowed in sweets, street food, or fast food shops, following the COVID rules of physical distance, masks, sanitizers, etc.
• A maximum of two persons will be able to travel in three-wheelers i.e. auto-rickshaw with the driver, three persons including driver in e-rickshaw, and only four persons in four-wheelers.
• Teachers and employees of basic, secondary, higher education institutions will be allowed to travel to schools and colleges for administrative work.
• Government offices to operate with full staff capacity but also following the COVID norms. 
• Religious establishments open with a maximum of 50 visitors at once.

Here's what not allowed:

• Cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms will not be allowed to operate.
• Schools and educational institutions will remain closed as before.
• Weekend lockdown to continue.
• Whenever any district will record more than 500 active COVID-19 cases, these relaxations will automatically end there. 

Apart from the several relaxations, the state government has decided to open 'COVID help desks' in various places where relief has been announced. The campaign of cleanliness, sanitization and fogging will continue on Saturday and Sunday. The guidelines in this regard were issued by Chief Secretary RK Tiwari late on Saturday night as per the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

After tweeting about these relaxations, the Chief Ministers' Office lastly reminded that the infection rate has come down but it is yet to be eliminated.