Unlock 5 rules soon as 4th phase ends Wednesday

September 29, 2020 172 Views No Comment

New Delhi, September 29 (agencies): The Centre is expected to announce guidelines for the fifth phase of easing of Covid-related restrictions, or “Unlock 5”, in the next couple of days as the current phase — “Unlock 4” — is due to end on Wednesday.

“Unlock 5” will likely come into effect on the following day — Thursday, October 1 — and is expected to stay in place till October 30.

While there is considerable speculation about what will and what will not be reopened, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra has prepared guidelines to reopen restaurants starting October 1.

Dine-in service at restaurants in Maharashtra — the worst affected state in the country — have been shut since the first lockdown in March. Restaurants (outside containment zones) had been “unlocked” by in July, but the state opted against this given the high active caseload and daily increase.

Under “Unlock 4”, metro train services have been re-started (in a graded manner) across the country, and social, political, academic, sporting, religious and other functions are allowed with an increased limit of 100 attendees.

Swimming pools and indoor movie theatres, however, remain closed.

Metro services in major cities were reopened in stages with emphasis on cashless, or contactless, travel, social distancing and the use of face masks and sanitisers.

“Unlock 4” also allowed schools across the country — which had been shut since the first Covid lockdown in March — to partially reopen from September 21.