Odisha issues fresh guidelines to avoid surge in COVID-19 cases

With rising COVD-19 cases in Maharashtra and other states and in view of the detection of the new variants, the Odisha government on February 21 has issued new guidelines to ensure strict implementation of safety protocols.

"Public awareness through loudspeaker announcements is to be made frequently in all marketplaces, haat and other places," the new guidelines stated.

The guidelines also stated the district administration and police would check and ensure strict observance of COVID-19 safety protocols such as the mandatory wearing of masks, maintaining physical distance in all public places including workplaces and educational institutions.

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Here are the other safety protocols issued by the Odisha govt:

Concerned authorities of government and private offices/institutions including educational institutions shall be responsible for due compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols in their respective establishments

Large congregations must be avoided and wherever permission has been granted for marriages, other social/ religious functions, sports, entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ any other gathering/ congregations, compliance of the Covid-19 safety protocols and crowd size in such gatherings would be strictly monitored. Under no circumstances, persons more than the number permitted would be entertained in all such gatherings.

Adequate and strict sanitation measures are to be maintained in schools, colleges, other educational institutions and Anganwadi Centres. The guidelines further said that only curricular activities will be allowed in educational institutions.

Any person found with COVID-19 symptoms must be immediately reported to the nearest health institution and necessary further action be taken as per the advice of the health authorities.

Hotels, restaurants and dhabas must be closely monitored by the police authorities so as to ensure strict compliance with physical distancing norms and other safety protocols.

Senior officers of the district administration will visit different places/institutions to ascertain and ensure compliance. Persons violating the COVID-19 guidelines would be penalised.

Shops and other commercial establishments found violating the COVID-19 guidelines may be sealed and action as per law be taken against such violators.

Odisha’s COVID-19 tally on Sunday mounted to 3,36,636 after 58 more people tested positive for the disease, a health department official said. Fifty-eight patients were cured of the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,34,107, which is 99.24 per cent of the caseload.

Odisha’s case fatality ratio (CFR) stands at 0.56 per cent while its positivity rate is at 4.12 per cent. Of the new cases, detected from 18 districts, 34 were reported from quarantine centres, and 24 detected during contact tracing, the official said.