Covid wave abating: Centre asks states, UTs to ease restrictions

New Delhi, Feb 16: The Centre on Wednesday asked states and UTs to review and amend the additional Covid-19 restrictions that were imposed after a sudden surge in infections.

“The Covid-19 pandemic in India is showing a sustained declining trend since January 21. The average daily cases during last week were 50,476 and 27,409 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. The daily case positivity on February 15, 2022, has declined to 3.63 percent,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to states and UTs.

“With the changing epidemiology of Covid-19 pandemic globally and in India, existing guidelines aimed at minimizing the transmission and circulation of the virus have been reviewed and updated,” he wrote in the letter.

Highlighting that the Union Health Ministry has revised guidelines for international arrivals, he asked states to amend the additional restrictions they had imposed too.

“In view of the high Covid case trajectory, certain states had imposed additional restrictions at their borders and at airports. However, while effectively managing the public health challenge of Covid-19, it is equally important that movement of people and activities should not be hampered by additional restrictions.

“Presently, as the case trajectory across the nation is showing a sustained downward trend, it will be useful if states/UTs review and amend/do away with the additional restrictions so imposed after considering the trend of new cases, active cases, and positivity,” he said.

Bhushan has said in the letter that states should continue to monitor the trajectory of cases and spread of infection on a daily basis and follow the broad five-fold strategy of – Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination-Adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour.