Omicron scare: No mask, no entry rule at shops, workplaces, orders DDMA; PM Modi to hold meeting today

Amid fresh concerns caused by the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting on the COVID-19 situation in the country on Thursday. Official sources said the Prime Minister will take stock of the pandemic situation across the country.

New Delhi: Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) issued orders to enforce the `No Mask, No Entry rule at shops and workplaces amid concerns over rising COVID-19 cases and Omicron threat. DDMA has also issued guidelines in view of rising COVID-19 cases in the national capital.

According to the DDMA statement issued on Wednesday, "All DMs and District DCPs shall ensure that no cultural event, gatherings, and congregations are taking place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in National Capital Territory of Delhi." It also advised the residents to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. 

Amid the rise in coronavirus cases and the threat of its Omicron variant, the DDMA also directed district magistrates to ensure no Christmas and New Year gathering takes place in the national capital.

Restaurants and bars will continue to operate with up to 50 per cent of the seating capacity, while marriage-related gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 200 people in attendance, according to the statement.

The DDMA order said, "All social/political/cultural/religious/festival related gatherings are prohibited throughout NCT of Delhi... All district magistrates and DCPs shall ensure that no cultural event/gatherings/congregation takes place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in the NCT of Delhi." 

On Wednesday, the national capital logged 125 cases Wednesday, the highest since June 22, when it had reported 134 cases of the infection. The district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) have also been directed to tighten the enforcement machinery to ensure people follow social-distancing norms and wear masks.

According to the DDMA order, "All district magistrates shall conduct an intensive survey of the entire area under their jurisdiction and identify those pockets, colonies markets and crowded places which have the potential of becoming superspreaders of coronavirus and its Omicron variant." 

It stated that all DMs and DCPs shall deploy a sufficient number of enforcement teams on the field for keeping utmost vigil at public places to enforce strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid any possible surge in COVID-19 cases.

Authorities have been directed to convene meetings with RWAs, market associations and inform them about "persistent increase" in Covid cases and also the emergence of the Omicron variant.

They should also be requested to take all requisite steps ensuring strict compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour such as wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and frequently hand sanitising.

Earlier on Monday, the DDMA held a meeting and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that samples of all Covid-positive patients would be sent for genome sequencing. The genome sequencing of all positive cases started on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister also made an appeal to the public to not let their guards down and wear masks to arrest the spread of coronavirus.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said genome sequencing of samples of all Covid-infected people in Delhi has begun to ascertain if Omicron variant has spread in the community.

"The Delhi government-run labs at the Lok Nayak Hospital and the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences can sequence 100 samples each day. Two Centre-run labs in Delhi can sequence 200-300 samples a day. So, 400-500 samples can be analysed in a day," Jain said.

PM Modi to hold meeting to review the situation 

Amid fresh concerns caused by the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting on the COVID-19 situation in the country on Thursday. Official sources said Modi will take stock of the pandemic situation across the country.

Notably, the first case of Omicron in the national capital was reported on December 5 when a 37-year-old fully-vaccinated man who arrived in the city from Tanzania was found infected with the latest variant of coronavirus.

India has so far recorded close to 250 cases of Omicron across 15 states and union territories even though at least 90 of the infected people have either recovered or migrated.

Delhi has recorded a maximum of 57 cases of the Omicron variant followed by 54 in Maharashtra, 24 in Telangana, 19 in Karnataka, 18 in Rajasthan, 15 in Kerala and 14 in Gujarat.

With the Omicron variant of coronavirus slowly spreading its tentacles in the country, a number of states enhanced surveillance to trace, track and quarantine contacts of COVID-19 positive persons while Delhi began genome sequencing of samples of all infected people and has prohibited Christmas and New Year gatherings.

Meanwhile, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria has stressed on adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour, observing that people have become lax in following these norms. He also underlined that people should get vaccinated and those who have taken the first shot should not miss out on the second dose.

"Omicron is highly transmissible which means this variant spreads rapidly and therefore adhering to Covid norms is very important. People should regularly wear masks, maintain physical distance and avoid gatherings which can become super spreading events," Guleria told PTI.

(With Agency Inputs)