Centre allows states to ease COVID curbs

- Charvi

Date: 18 February 2022

In wake of declining COVID cases across the country, the Union Health Secretary, Rajesh
Bhushan, sent a letter to Chief Secretaries and Chief Administrators of all states and union
territories on Wednesday. The letter mentioned that the coronavirus pandemic in India is
showing a sustained declining trend since January 21 and the states and union territories can
therefore review, change or drop COVID-19 restrictions after considering the trend of new
cases and positivity rate in their respective regions.

The average daily cases during last week were 50,476, and 27,409 new cases were reported in
the last 24 hours. The daily case positivity rate declined to 3.63 per cent on Wednesday. The
weekly positivity rate has declined to 3.2 per cent.

“While effectively managing the public health challenge of COVID-19, it is equally

important that movement of people and economic activities should not be hampered by
additional restrictions imposed at state-level points of entry. 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 within the state and UT” Mr Bhushan said in
the letter.

The Union Ministry of Health has accordingly revised its guidelines for international arrivals
on February 10. Mr Bhushan underlined that states and union territories must continue
monitoring the trajectory of cases and spread of infection daily.

Mr Bhushan has asked the states to follow the five-fold strategy of test, track, treat,
vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour.