Pandemic Red Alert: Gehlot govt gets strict to curb infection

Jaipur: Even after the state government’s continuous efforts to bring down infection rate in Rajasthan, the positivity rate has touched 21 percent; the Gehlot government has now sounded a ‘Red Alert’ and decided to implement ‘Pandemic Red Alert-Public Discipline Fortnight’ starting 5 AM on May 3.  

The state government issued new guidelines on Friday late night under which all offices, commercial enterprises and markets have been shut down.

However, General and grocery stores, vegetable markets, dairies, opticals, vegetable and fruit carts and shops related to farming practices have been exempted like earlier. Moreover, ration shops, pharma, medicine and medical equipment shops will be allowed to operate.

The weekend curfew will be observed with more strictness as it will start from 12 noon on May 7 to 5 AM on May 10 and from 12 noon on May 14 to 5 AM on May 17 during which if any person would be seen moving out of their house, they would be directly sent under institutional quarantine till their report comes negative.

In a major decision, restaurants, bakeries, sweets shops etc will not be allowed to open to attract spot customers, however, they have been allowed to provide home delivery till 8 PM.

Additionally, now only 31 people will be allowed in wedding functions excluding the band while the function will have to get to over within 3 hours. The SDM will have to be provided information beforehand via email along with a list of guests.

Furthermore, for funerals, the state government has allowed twenty people to attend however they will have to strictly adhere to covid protocol and provision for sanitizer, hand wash and thermal screening has also been done.

A complete blanket ban has been ordered on any public, political, sports, entertainment, educational, cultural or religious program like rallies, festivals and fairs. All religious sites like temples, mosques, Gurudwaras and churches etc will remain closed.

Prior closed establishments like cinemas, multiplexes, swimming pools, gyms etc will remain closed as will all educational institutions including coaching centres.

Other relaxations and directions to state employees and emergency services will continue unabated.