The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Saturday a phased reopening of several establishments and institutions in lockdown 5.0. The current lockdown, announced last month, will end on Sunday.
This comes even as India saw the biggest jump in the number of coronavirus cases on Sunday with 8,380 new cases.
Among the measures announced were reopening of restaurants, malls and religious buildings in three phases. This will only be outside of containment zones.
Meanwhile, the MHA said that people who are above 65 years of age, children below 10 years of age, and those with “co-morbidities” are requested to stay at home.
The night curfews will continue with restrictions on movement of people between 9 pm and 5 am, a change from the earlier 7 pm to 7 am.
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What is open from June 8 (Phase I)?
Phase 1 of the ‘unlock’ will begin from June 8. The MHA said that the health ministry will issue further guidelines on how to social distance once the following establishments open:
— religious places, public places for worship.
— shopping malls
— hotels, restaurants and other places that offer hospitality.
What opens in July (Phase II)?
The MHA in its order said that after evaluating the situation then, and consulting with the state governments and governments of union territories, schools, colleges, training institutions and coaching centres will be allowed reopen.
State governments and governments of union territories may consult with parents and other stake holders before taking such a decision, the order said.
What happens in Phase III?
The government will open up the following in Phase III, the dates of which will be decided only after assessing the situation.
— Metro rail
— movie theatres, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums and other similar places
— international air travel
— Allowing large congregations for social/religious/political/cultural/sports/academic and other functions
What happens in containment zones?
Containment zones will be identified by district authorities and the lockdown will continue inside containment zones till June 30.
Only essential services will be available in these containment zone, with no movement of people except for emergencies, and movements of essential goods and services.
The MHA also mandated “intensive contact tracing” and house-to-house surveillance in these zones and asked for “buffer zones” to be created where new cases are likely to occur.
Inter-state travel
The MHA said that there could be unrestricted movement of people and goods inside states and between states. It allowed movement through passenger trains, shramik special trains and domestic flight.
However it said that states could regulate the movement of people in case there was a threat to the health of the people.