Delhi government has announced ‘yellow alert’ over Omicron spread.   |  Photo Credit: iStock Images
Delhi government has announced a ‘Yellow alert’ under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) due to the increasing trend in COVID-19 cases. Making the announcement Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that decision has been made in the light of the COVID positivity rate in the national capital being above 0.5 per cent. Additional COVID-related restrictions will be imposed soon. “A detailed order on restrictions to be implemented will be released soon,” Kejriwal added.
‘Yellow alert’ has been making headlines in Delhi. Last week the Met Department had issued a similar alert and declared a ‘severe cold wave’ in the national capital and regions around. While these colour-coded alerts are usually announced during bad weather, during a health emergency like the pandemic, the Disaster Management Authorities can impose restrictions to curb the spread of infection.
The yellow alert has been announced in the national capital as the total positivity rate (TPR) has been over 0.5 per cent for two consecutive days. Delhi recorded a positivity rate of 0.68 per cent on Monday with 331 Covid cases and one Covid-related death was reported. This is the highest single-day rise since June 9, with the national capital having the second-highest Omicron cases (165) after Maharashtra (167). However, the sizes of the two states and population spread need to be considered when one is looking at the gravity of the situation and the necessity for immediate action.
On Sunday, the TPR in Delhi was 0.55 per cent when 290 fresh Covid cases were reported, and it was 0.43 per cent on Saturday. Over the past month, TPR has increased from under 0.1 per cent to 0.68 per cent on Monday, prompting the authorities to initially announce a night curfew and subsequently a yellow alert today. According to the health department, the caseload in Delhi has surged to 14,43,352 with 1,103 active cases.
The yellow alert can also be declared if either the total cases of infection cross over 1,500 or based on the occupancy of oxygen beds. Speaking about the recent trend in Covid cases in Delhi, CM Kejriwal said, “Covid cases are mild, and there is no increase in consumption of oxygen or use of ventilators despite the spike.”
The yellow alert involves measures like night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, the odd-even formula for opening shops selling non-essential items which will be allowed to be open from 10 am to 8 pm. Only one weekly market will be allowed in a municipal area with 50 per cent of vendors. Seating capacity in Metro trains and public transport buses will be reduced to half.
While the government has not issued any guidelines yet, other restrictions are likely to include a cut in the list of attendees for weddings and funerals, closure of spas, gyms, yoga institutes (outdoor yoga will be allowed), entertainment parks, cinema halls, multiplexes and auditoriums. Hotels will operate but banquets and conference halls inside the hotel will have to be closed. Sports complexes, stadiums and swimming pools will also be closed. Religious places can remain open, but the entry of devotees will be restricted, with a provision to ban social, political, religious, festival and entertainment-related activities.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) can issue an order to bring into force a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) under four colours — yellow, amber, orange, and red — just like the IMD alerts. Here is what each means in the case of a health emergency:
Yellow Alert: As mentioned above, the yellow alert is issued when the infection rate or TPR is 0.5 per cent or upwards for two consecutive days. The alert is also announced if one of the two other conditions stands true — either when 1,500 or more cases are recorded over a week in a region, or if the average occupancy of oxygen beds is 500 or more for a week.
Amber Alert: This is the next level of precaution that is issued when the infection rate is one per cent for two consecutive days, or if there are 3,500 new cases in a week, or if the average occupancy of oxygen beds is in a week. in case an amber alert is issued, shops and malls will be allowed to remain open will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Orange Alert: If and when the situation becomes graver and the TPR remains above two per cent for two consecutive days, the government will issue an orange alert. It could also be announced if there are 9,000 cases a week, or if 1,000 oxygen beds are occupied in a week on an average.
In such a scenario, only shops selling essential goods or offering essential services will be allowed to remain open. Metro will be shut and buses can run at only 50 per cent capacity. Autos, cabs, e-rickshaws will be allowed a maximum of two passengers. Only those individuals who are connected with essential services will be allowed to travel.
All construction activities will be halted except those wherein accommodation for the labourers is provided. Factories making essential things will be allowed to operate only if the accommodation for workers is available.
Red Alert: This is the highest level alert that will be issued if the positivity rate exceeds five per cent over two consecutive days or when there are 16,000 cases on an average in a week. It could also be announced if 3,000 or more oxygen beds are occupied in a week on average. There will be more stringent restrictions imposed on public transport, movement of individuals, operating factories if the red alert is issued.