Gujarat eases lockdown rules, but COVID-19 cases are still rising

From Wednesday, restaurants in Gujarat will remain open till 9 pm and shops and business establishments till 8 pm as per the ‘Unlock 2’ guidelines announced by the state government, even as the number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 32,643 and deaths to 1,848.

Taking the guidelines of ‘Unlock 2’ announced by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs as a base, the Gujarat government on Tuesday said that movie theaters, gymnasiums and swimming pools will continue to remain shut.

Stadiums will remain open. However, spectators won’t be allowed. Albeit there will not be any restrictions to telecast the event. Religious and social gatherings won’t be allowed. However, places of religious worship will remain open.

Only essential commodities will be allowed to be sold in containment and micro-containment zones.

While Gujarat opens up for more hours in ‘Unlock 2’, the rising number of cases does remain a challenging task. In 24 hours ending at 5 pm on Tuesday, the state recorded 620 cases, taking the total number of cases to 32,643. In the time period, 20 persons lost lives to COVID-19.