Odisha extends partial lockdown till July 16, check new guidelines here

The Odisha government has divided the 30 districts into A and B categories on the basis of the test positivity rate (TPR).

New Delhi: The Odisha government on Wednesday (June 30) extended the partial lockdown imposed in the state for 15 more days till July 16 in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. The state government has divided the 30 districts into A and B categories on the basis of the test positivity rate (TPR). Twenty districts where the TPR remains less than five per cent are placed in the A category, while the rest 10 coastal districts, where the COVID-19 cases are high, are placed in the B category, Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said. 

Category A districts include Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada, Sonepur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Angul, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar. 

COVID-19 guidelines for Category A districts:

1. No weekly shutdowns. Shops will remain open from 6 AM to 6 PM.

2. Buses will be allowed to ply with passengers up to the seating capacity and taxis and autorickshaws can carry a maximum of two passengers.

3. Daily markets and weekly haats are permitted to open open, small salons can function, street food vendors can operate takeaway businesses.

4. Outdoor and indoor film shooting has been permitted in these districts. 

Category B districts include Nayagarh, Cuttack, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj. 

Check Category B districts guidelines here:

1. Shops can open from 6 AM to 2 PM but shopping malls, spas and beauty parlours shall continue to remain closed.

2. Bus services will not restart now and weekend shutdowns will continue in these districts.

Meanwhile, night curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM will remain in force across the state, irrespective of TPR. Religious and educational institutions and cinema halls will continue to remain shut. The ban on public gatherings, trade fairs, exhibitions and jatra (theatre) will also continue across Odisha. The restrictions on weddings will also continue, PTI reported. 

The state government has modified funeral guidelines of COVID patients in order to let the grieving families pay their last respects. The desiring families of COVID-19 patients can now take the body of their dear one testing negative for the virus at the time of death. "However, if at the time of death, the patient is found to be COVID negative, and if the relatives of the patient claim the body, the same may be handed over to them in a sealed body bag with advisory of its safe disposal, so that the last rites can be undertaken by the family as per their customary practice," Additional Chief Secretary (Health), PK Mohapatra said in a letter. 

But, for this the interested families have to give an undertaking that they would abide by the COVID protocols like not opening the body bag or touching or kissing the dead body and observing COVID appropriate behavior, he added. 

On Wednesday, Odisha reported 3,371 fresh coronavirus cases which pushed the total tally to 9,09,800. With 48 more fatalities due to the infection, the death toll increased to 4,018. There are 31,422 active cases in the state currently,  a health department official informed. 

(With agency inputs)