Delhi is taking all necessary steps to prevent spread of Delta Plus COVID variant: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stressed that if Delhi gets a regular stock of vaccines, the AAP government will be able to immunise maximum population in a minimum time.

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New Delhi: On Friday, the 'Graded Response Action Plan' (GRAP) was approved by the DDMA in presence of the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal, Chief Secretary of Delhi and other concerned officials. With this plan, confusions regarding imposing a lockdown or when it will be lifted will no longer persist. Delhi Government is taking all the necessary steps to prevent the spread of the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 in Delhi. CM Arvind Kejriwal said that now that the GRAP is going in view of the public, there will be a sense of certainty and accountability on the Government's part towards the citizens of Delhi. 

The plan descriptively elaborates upon when the lockdown will be imposed and when it will be lifted. The Delhi government is administering vaccines on a war footing, but due to their unavailability time and again in between, the pace is slowing down. CM Kejriwal added that if Delhi gets a regular stock of vaccines, the Delhi government will be able to immunise maximum population in minimum time. He said that the authorities can’t let their guards down and the preparation for the roadmap of an impending third wave is being worked upon consistently by the Delhi government.

Briefing the officials present in the DDMA meeting, CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “This graded response action plan is of extreme importance. As you all know, every weekend we sit down to discuss the future course of action and prepare a roadmap for the pandemic to decide what all must be opened and what all must not be. However, this decision is a bit subjective. Now that this plan is going in front of the public, there will be a sense of certainty and accountability on our part towards the people of Delhi. The plan descriptively elaborates upon when the lockdown will be imposed and when it will be lifted. I don’t know if any other state has done it or not, but this is something that should be adopted at the national level also.”

CM Kejriwal asserted, “Secondly, something that we must all ensure and adopt is conducting the vaccination programme on an aggressive scale. Only and only vaccination can save us from the third wave. The Delhi Government is administering vaccines at a fast pace, but due to unavailability of vaccines time and again, the speed decreases. Otherwise, all the staff, the healthcare workers, and doctors have collectively worked towards expanding the network of this vaccination drive on a large scale. If we get a regular stock of vaccines, we will be able to vaccinate the maximum population in minimum time.”

CM Kejriwal added that Delhi can’t let its guard down and the government is working on a war footing to prepare for an impending third wave. He added, “The preparations are going really well. So, I would like to thank all the experts who have been holding our hand and steering ahead the preparation of this roadmap. A huge thanks to them.”

The Graded Response Action Plan was prepared in comparison with ascent data of the four waves at specific positivity rate (0.5%, 1%, 2% & 5%). It was also considered on the basis of earlier four waves. Further details have been mentioned in the below sub-heads.

CM Kejriwal took to Twitter and stated, “'Graded Response Action Plan' was passed in DDMA meeting today. There will be no doubt about when the lockdown will take place and when it will be lifted. In the meeting, there was also talk about the Delta+ (plus) variant of COVID-19, we have to stop this variant from spreading in Delhi, for which the government is taking all necessary steps.”

Levels of alert

Level 1 - Yellow Alert
Level 2 - Amber Alert
Level 3 - Orange Alert
Level 4 - Red Alert

Criteria (whichever is earlier)

Note: The positivity rate for 2 days at any level should not be on account of a data aberration or a data skew arising out of default regarding backlog entries by a particular lab/ labs.

Graded Response Action Plan (Economic activities)

Graded Response Action Plan (Economic activities)

Graded Response Action Plan (Other Restrictions)

International Travel: The restrictions/instructions as prescribed by GOI shall be applicable.

Domestic Travel: Three types of restrictions shall be applicable in respect of domestic travel.

(i). NCT of Delhi is in Level 4 (Red) and the people are coming by air to NCT of Delhi (including in transit passengers) from other highly infected States/UTs (where positivity rate is more than 5%).

(ii). People coming in NCT of Delhi by Airlines/Trains/Buses/Cars/Trucks from other highly infected States/UTs (where positivity rate is more than 10%)

(iii). People coming into NCT of Delhi by Airlines/Trains/Buses/Cars/Trucks from other States/UTs where a new mutant of virus has been found.

•  Production of a certificate of successful vaccination of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or 72 hour negative RT-PCR report is required. Otherwise, 14 days mandatory institutional/ paid quarantine
• COVID Appropriate Behavior (CAB) :- Strict Compliance of CAB to be ensured by DMs, DCPs, Zonal DCs, Mandi Authorities, MTAs, RWAs, etc.