Schools, cinemas, gyms shut, Yellow alert sounded in Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said, yellow alert has been sounded in the national capital in the wake of rising COVId-19 cases. Addressing media, he added that the city government is ten times better prepared than it was previously to deal with the rise in COVID cases. The Chief Minister urged the people to observe COVID Appropriate Behaviour and maintain social distance, wear masks, and wash their hands frequently. The 'yellow' alert is sounded when the Covid positivity rate stays over 0.5 per cent on two consecutive days. On Monday, Delhi recorded 331 fresh Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day rise since June 9. The positivity rate reported on Monday was 0.68 per cent, up from 0.55 per cent a day before.

Here are the new curbs 

• There will be a night curfew between 10 pm and 5 am daily.
• Private offices will function with 50% staff barring those designated essential services, which includes hospitals, media, banks, insurance companies and telecom services.
• Weddings are allowed with up to 20 people and they can take place only at home or in court. The 20-person limit also applies to funerals.
• Malls and shops will open on an odd-even basis, between 10 am and 8 pm. Online deliveries can continue.
• Standalone shops or markets in residential colonies will not follow the odd-even rule.
• Cinemas, multiplexes and gyms will be closed again. Schools and colleges will stay shut.
• Restaurants and bars will be closed at 10 pm and they will operate at half capacity.
• The Delhi Metro will function with half its capacity.
• Salons, barber shops and parlours will be allowed. Spas and wellness clinics will be closed.
• Political, religious, festival-related gatherings won't be allowed. Religious places can stay open but visitors won't be allowed.
• Public parks will also stay open, but picnics or gatherings won't be allowed.

Delhi Metro trains have to run at 50 per cent seating capacity. No standing passengers will be allowed in the trains, the order said. After the new guidelines were announced, the DMRC said in a statement that out of 712 metro gates, only 444 will be kept open. "At the same time, buses going from one state to another will run with 50 per cent seating capacity, while only two passengers will be allowed to travel in auto, e-rickshaw, taxi and cycle rickshaws," the order further said.