No weekend lockdown in 20 distts of JK; night curfew to remain in place in all 20 distts

Srinagar, Jammu: The government on Sunday lifted weekend covid-19 curfew in all districts in Jammu and Kashmir. However, night curfew shall continue in all the districts, according to a government order issued by Chief Secretary (Chairperson, State Executive Committee) Arun Kumar Mehta after reviewing meeting with the additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education; Principal Secretary to Government, Home; Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and other officers of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It was observed that as compared to the previous weeks, significant improvement has been made by all the districts in respect of the above parameters. However, there is a need to continue with some of the existing COVID containment measures in all the districts in view of the uneven trend in the daily COVID cases,” the order reads, adding, “the guidelines / instructions on COVID containment in Jammu and Kashmir already notified vide Government Orders 35 and 36 – JK (DMRRR) of 2021 dated 29-05-2Q21 read with Government Orders 51 – JK (DMRRR) of 2021 dated 18-07-2021 shall continue to remain in force till further orders. However, there shall be no weekend Curfew in any district.”
The State Executive Committee also permitted the public and private educational institutions to seek personal attendance of limited vaccinated staff for administrative purposes. Also, the maximum number of people permitted to attend any indoor/ outdoor gathering shall be restricted to 25. “Night Curfew shall continue to remain in force in all districts from 8 pm to 7 am.” All Deputy Commissioners have been asked to focus on the positivity rates of the Medical-Blocks under their jurisdictions. “Intensified measures, related to Covid management and restriction of activities, will have to be taken by the DCs in these Blocks. There shall be renewed focus on Panchavat level mapping of cases and micro-containment zones shall be constituted wherever unusual spike of cases is noticed,” the order said, adding, “DCs shall keep active track of the positivity rates in the Blocks and consider implementing stricter control measures in closed clustered spaces like Public/ Private Offices, Community halls, Malls, Bazaars etc., in case weekly positivity rate goes beyond 4 percent in these Blocks.
The three – “T” protocol of testing, tracking and treating, besides vaccination, needs to strengthened in these Blocks, the order said. “The proportion of RT-PCR tests in the total mix should be scaled up, on best effort basis, to 70 % or more, excluding travelers.” “Positive cases so detected as a result of intensive testing need to be isolated/quarantined at the earliest and their contacts should also be traced at the earliest, and similarly isolated / quarantined and tested, if needed.”
The government also ordered that quick isolation and treatment of COVID-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities/hospitals/homes.