Jharkhand extends lockdown till May 6 & tightens COVID curbs; here're new guidelines

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on Wednesday announced an extension of the lockdown till 6 am on May 6 and imposed stricter curbs to contain COVID-19 spread. The movement of people is allowed from 6 am to 3 pm only for essential services, attending marriage functions and air/train travel. While public transport is permitted, all educational institutions including schools, colleges, ITI, skill development centres, coaching institutions, and training institutions will remain closed. While all indoor or outdoor gatherings of more than 5 persons barring for marriage functions are prohibited, an exception has been made for the Madhupur by-election campaign. At present, there are 51,252 active novel coronavirus cases in Jharkhand while 1,59,916 patients have been discharged and 2246 deaths have been reported. 

Here are lockdown rules in Jharkhand:

• Medical shops can remain open
• All shops pertaining to the public distribution system, grocery, sweets, agriculture-related items, construction-related items, veterinary care, excise, and vehicle repair will close by 2 pm
• Petrol pumps, dhabas, industrial and mining activities, construction activities can remain functional
• Only home delivery allowed for restaurants and hotels
• E-commerce delivery and pickup is allowed only till 2 pm
• Central government offices (with maximum 50% attendance), banks, ATMs, financial institutions, SEBI, select state government offices shall be functional till 2 pm
• The rest of the employees will work from home
• There will no be restrictions on print and electronic media, postal and telecommunications services and security services
• Visitors are prohibited in all religious places
• All indoor or outdoor gatherings of more than 5 persons barring for marriage functions are prohibited. An exception though has been made for the Madhupur by-election campaign
• All educational institutions to remain closed
• Home delivery of the National Food Security Act entitlements shall be ensured
• All theatres, multiplexes, stadiums, gyms, swimming pools, parks remain closed
• From 6 am to 3 pm, movement of persons is allowed for essential services, attending marriage functions and air/train travel
• From 3 pm to 6 am, people can step out with a valid identity card only for availing healthcare-related services, last rites-related functions, marriage functions, food delivery, air/train/bus travel
• Public transport is permitted