COVID-19: India begins gradual unlocking

…Moves to vaccinate all adults
…Mumbai to remain in level 3

INDIAN government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has today taken off free COVID-19 vaccination for all adults in the country.

  This is coming after India recorded 53,256 new COVID-19 cases, lowest in 88 days and 1,422 deaths with nearly 90 per cent of the districts in the country witnessing a sharp fall in the number of active cases.

  India so far has fully vaccinated over 49million people against coronavirus, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

  Home Minister, Amit Shah said the government had decided to increase the pace of COVID-19 vaccination in July and August, premising the Prime Minister’s decision  to provide free vaccine against COVID-19 to people aged 18 and above on faster realisation of goal.

  “We will fast achieve the goal of inoculating almost everyone”, PTI reported.

  India’s Union Health Ministry data shows that the COVID-19 second wave is on the wane in

  India as the country has been reporting below 1 lakh (10,000) cases for the past two weeks.

  Almost 90 per cent of the districts in the country have been witnessing a sharp fall in the number of active cases.

  Updated report from the Health Ministry says just 70 districts in the country reported an increase in active cases in the week to June 19,  a good sign for the country which was battling the deadly second wave with a stretched healthcare infrastructure during April and May.

  With the reported 53,256 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, the total tally of COVID-19 cases in India is now 29,935,221, data released by the Union Health Ministry today states.

  The number of active COVID-19 cases in the country further reduced to 7,02,887. The death toll climbed to 3,880,135 with 1,422 fresh fatalities, the lowest in 65 days, the Health Ministry said.

  As coronavirus spread shrinks in the country, several states/UTs have started the process of unlocking.

  National Capital Delhi yesterday allowed parks and bars to open up; while also extending timings for restaurants.

  Telangana opened up completely from Sunday, even as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir have begun gradual unlocking.

  Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Kelara, and Tamil Nadu have eased COVID-19 restrictions and allowed more activities following continued drop in COVID-19 cases.

  Meanwhile, authority has warned citizens not to be under illusion that COVID-19 is gone.

  Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today handed this warning while urging them to be vigilant and follow all the precautionary preventive measures.

  “From today, we have relaxed almost everything other than in a few districts, but don’t be under illusion that the COVID-19 has gone, we will have to wear masks, maintain distance and sanitise our hands regularly,” Yediyurappa said.

  It will be recalled that Karnataka has further relaxed the COVID-19 restrictions in 17 districts where the positivity rate is below 5 per cent, including Bengaluru, allowing all shops to function from 6 am to 5 pm and public transport to resume operations with 50 per cent capacity.

  Report further says, Mumbai will continue to remain in level three of the coronvirus-induced restrictions till June 27, even though the city’s COVID-19 positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy have come down and it is eligible to be upgraded to ‘level one, the local civic body has said.

  The state government earlier this month, announced a five-level plan to ease restrictions as per weekly COVID-19 positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy.

  As per the government order, cities and districts which have a positivity rate of five per cent and the oxygen bed occupancy of less than 25 per cent come under level-1, where curbs can be lifted completely, while the level-3 category is applicable for places where the positivity rate is five per cent to 10 per cent and the oxygen bed occupancy is more than 40 per cent.