The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an order on December 28 extending the earlier guidelines issued on 25.11.2020 for surveillance to remain in force until 31.01.2021. States and Union Territories have been instructed to strictly enforce containment measures, SOPs on various activities and COVID-appropriate behaviour, and to exercise caution and strict surveillance.
“While there has been a continuous decline in the active and new COVID-19 cases, there is a need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK)”, said the MHA in a press release.
Accordingly, Containment Zones will continue to be demarcated carefully; prescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones; COVID-appropriate behaviour promoted and strictly enforced; and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect of various permitted activities are to be followed scrupulously.
“The focused approach on surveillance, containment and strict observance of the guidelines/SOPs issued by MHA and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW), as envisaged in the guidelines issued on 25.11.2020, need to be enforced strictly by States and UTs,” the press release added.
(Published from PIB)