DDMA passes 'Graded Response Action Plan' to deal with possible third wave of COVID-19 in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday informed that a 'Graded Response Action Plan' formulated by the AAP government to deal with the possible third wave of COVID-19 in the national capital has been cleared by the DDMA.

The plan has been passed by DDMA during a meeting today, the Chief Minister said.

A Delhi government panel on managing the possible third wave of COVID has suggested a colour-coded mechanism that prescribes a graded response, including the closure of most economic activities at the highest 'Red' level alert.

"The 'Graded Response Action Plan' was passed in the DDMA meeting today. No doubts will remain about when the lockdown will be imposed or when it will open. In the meeting, there was also a discussion about the Delta plus variant. We have to stop this variant from spreading in Delhi, for which the government is taking all necessary steps," CM Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

आज DDMA बैठक में 'Graded Response Action Plan' पास किया गया। कब लॉकडाउन लगेगा और कब क्या खुलेगा, इसे लेकर अब संशय की स्थिति नहीं रहेगी।

बैठक में कोरोना के Delta+ वेरिएंट को लेकर भी बात हुई, इस वेरिएंट को हमें दिल्ली में फैलने से रोकना है जिसके लिए सरकार हर ज़रूरी कदम उठा रही है। — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 9, 2021

The colour codes based on positivity rate (on two consecutive days), the cumulative number of new cases (over a week), and average oxygenated-bed occupancy (for a week) will designate four levels of alerts.

The graded response will involve restricting economic activities as per the level of alert linked with the severity of the pandemic. Shops and establishments of essential goods and services will be allowed to open during all four levels of alerts, according to the plan.

Kejriwal had recently launched the ‘Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojna’, a social security scheme for COVID-19 affected families to provide financial assistance to the families of the earning members who lost their lives since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi. 

Under this scheme, an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 for each death to the family of the deceased and Rs 2,500 monthly to those families who have lost breadwinners.

The Chief Minister said, “we are all aware of how since the last 1.5 years not just India but the entire humanity is enduring this pandemic, our country has seen 2 waves, the first wave last year and the second in April; The entire country may have seen 2 waves, but as for Delhi, this was the 4th wave. Last year in June we saw the first wave, in September, the second wave, in November, the third wave and now the fourth wave. This fourth wave was very severe, it was very widespread, almost every family was affected by it, second, it was very lethal; we lost a lot of lives because of this fourth wave, a lot of children became orphans, a lot of families lost their breadwinners. There’s no one to look after them now.”

“As a responsible and sensitive government, it is our duty to stand with these grieving families and provide them all assistance we can. After a lot of discussions with our officers and the people of Delhi, upon this issue, we are launching the ‘Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojna’,” the CM added while launching the scheme.

Under this scheme, in the case of the death of any patient who was COVID-19 positive, either in an institutional setting or at home, an amount of Rs 50,000 would be given as ex-gratia to the family of the deceased.

“No questions would be asked. If the person died because of Corona, the family will receive Rs 50,000,” CM Kejriwal said, adding “Additionally, Rs 2,500 would be given monthly to those families who have lost their breadwinners because of COVID-19. To all those children who were orphaned because of COVID-19, Rs 2500 would be given monthly till they become 25 years old.”