New MHA Covid-19 guidelines come into effect today | Here's what's allowed, what's not as coronavirus cases surge

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced a new set of Covid-19 guidelines in the wake of a surge in coronavirus cases across the country. The new MHA Covid-19 guidelines will come into effect from Tuesday (December 1). As per the new guidelines, the Centre has allowed the states and Union Territories (UTs) to impose local restrictions as per the gravity of the situation in respective states and UTs. They, however, cannot enforce lockdown without permission and consultation of the central government. The MHA has also prohibited the states from sealing their borders.

The new Covid-19 guidelines for “surveillance, containment, and caution” have been issued with an aim to contain the spread of the deadly virus.  

The ministry also said that local police and municipal corporations are responsible for ensuring that the guidelines are strictly adhered to.

Let’s have a look at what is allowed and what’s prohibited under the new Covid-19 guidelines issued by the MHA—The MHA has permitted all activities outside Containment Zones, except for the following, which have been permitted with certain restrictions:

- International air travel of passengers
- Cinema halls and theatres to operate with up to 50 per cent capacity.
- Swimming pools, only for the training of sportspersons.
- Exhibition halls to operate only for business to business (B2B) purposes.
- Social/ religious/ sports/ entertainment/ educational/ cultural/ religious gatherings, with up to a maximum of 50 per cent of the hall capacity. A cap of 200 persons in closed spaces.
- No restriction on Inter-State and intra-State movement.
- Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home.

See Zee Business Live TV Streaming Below:

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has also issued new travel guidelines. The state government has made it mandatory for people travelling from Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Goa to carry RT-PCR COVID test reports. Domestic passengers travelling via flight from Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa will need to carry the RT-PCR negative test report. The test report should not cross 72 hours , on arrival in Maharashtra.  

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also imposed some new restrictions to prevent the surge of coronavirus cases in the state. From today, night curfew will remain in place in all towns and cities of Punjab from 10 pm to 5 am.  The fine for flouting Covid-19 norms have been doubled by Punjab government.