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COVID-19 Guidelines for Holi: 5 States in India where gatherings are banned

India is currently witnessing a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 daily cases as the country recorded 40,715 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, taking the nationwide infection tally to 1,16,86,796. Among the worst-hit states are — Health Ministry has said that Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh are […]

COVID-19 Guidelines for Holi: 5 States in India where gatherings are banned
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India is currently witnessing a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 daily cases as the country recorded 40,715 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, taking the nationwide infection tally to 1,16,86,796. Among the worst-hit states are — Health Ministry has said that Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh are exhibiting a steep rise in daily cases.

Following this sudden surge, several states have started implementing some stringent safety protocols in order to stop the spread of novel coronavirus. Few days ahead of the Holi festival, the state governments have banned social gatherings in view of the increasing spread of the virus infection.

Coronavirus has affected millions of lives around the world. The virus spreads through direct contact with respiratory droplets of a COVID infected person which is usually generated through sneezing or coughing. A person can also catch the virus if he/she touches the nose, eyes, mouth after touching any virus-contaminated surfaces. Therefore it is recommended to wear a proper mask, maintain social distancing and hand sanitization.


Following the rise in daily COVID-19 cases, these 5 Indian states have decided to make it illegal for common people to gather socially.

Odisha
On the top of this list comes Odisha. The state government on Friday banned celebrations of Dolyatra and Holi in public places on March 28 and 29 to stop the COVID-19 virus from spreading. According to the media reports, chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra issued a fresh statement whereby he stated that people may have to play Holi inside the house this year. “People may celebrate Holi with family members in their houses only and not in public places including roads. Collectors and municipal commissioners may impose further restrictions are desirable in consideration of local situations, “ Mohapatra was quoted as saying.

Chandigarh
The second on the list is Chandigarh. On Monday, the state government announced that all public Holi-Milan gatherings will be banned following the surge in daily coronavirus cases. This comes hours after the government announced a complete shutdown of all the schools and colleges in the state till March 31. The state government has urged people to stay home and play Holi with their family members this year.

Gujarat
Gujarat is another worst affected state of the country. Following a steep rise in the number of active daily coronavirus cases, the Gujarat government on Sunday said permission won’t be granted for Holi celebrations.

Bihar
As a precautionary measure to curb the spread of novel coronavirus from affecting the state and its people, the Bihar government has announced that the state will observe a complete ban of ‘Holi-Milan’ gatherings.

Uttar Pradesh
in view of the increasing Covid cases in the state, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has issued guidelines for Holi celebrations. The guidelines, issued by chief secretary R.K. Tiwari on Tuesday, state that permission will have to be taken for any public function or procession that is organized on Holi. Even after obtaining permission, the organizers will have to maintain social distancing and follow other safety protocols.

People above 60 years, children below 10 years, and those having comorbidities have been advised to remain indoors during the festival. The guidelines further state that persons coming from states that have a high virus load will have to undergo Covid tests.

On Monday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain warned people to remain alert during Holi as the COVID-19 cases are rising. Jain also said that strict action will be taken against citizens for not wearing masks.

“There is a need to remain alert and wear masks all the time,” he told reporters on Monday adding, “Strict action is being taken against those found without a mask and violating social distancing norms.” He also urged people to follow COVID’s appropriate behaviour during the Holi on March 28-29.

Maharashtra, Punjab, and Gujarat are turning out to be a major cause of worry as the three states are recording the highest daily new coronavirus cases. According to the data of the Health Ministry, six states — Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu together account for 80.90 per cent of the new cases.

The Ministry also listed out 10 states which are recording an upward trajectory, including Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

Three states, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Punjab, account for 75.15 per cent of total active cases in the country. Maharashtra alone accounts for 62.71 per cent of the total active cases in the country.

The doubling time has decreased from 504.4 on March 1, to 202.3 on March 23. Last year at the time the lockdown was imposed on March 25, the doubling rate of Covid-19 cases was 3.4 days.

India’s cumulative recoveries stand at 1,11,81,253 on Monday. The national recovery rate is 95.67 per cent. About 29,785 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours. One hundred and ninety-nine deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

Six states account for 80.4 per cent of the daily deaths. Maharashtra and Punjab each reported 58 casualties. Kerala and Chhattisgarh follow with 12 deaths each.

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