Amid a recent surge in covid-19 cases, the Delhi government has decided to update the travel guidelines. Now, those arriving from the worst covid-19 affected states would have to carry a negative Covid-19 report. According to news agency ANI, the latest rule will come into effect from February 26. At present, it has been decided that the new travel norms will stay in drive until March 15. However, the situation might be reviewed, and the decision of the travel norms may be prolonged. The new guidelines say that travelers from Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, and Chhattisgarh might want to carry a negative RT-PCR report in order to be allowed entry into Delhi. These 5 states, especially Maharashtra have witnessed a sharp surge in Covid cases within the last 15 days. In fact, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had warned that if the situation doesn’t improve, the state is likely to see yet another corona lockdown.
Delhi is the second state after Karnataka to revise the interstate travel guidelines. Last week, Karnataka had issued said that those traveling from Maharashtra and Kerala would require to hold mandatory negative RT-PCR with them. In August last yr, as part of the ‘Unlock’ guidelines, Karnataka had eased the inter-state movement. State capital Bengaluru has an outbreak of Covid cases in various housing societies. Whereas each state and Centre have been urging individuals of maintaining the mask discipline, the ground reality could be very different. A smaller number of people have seen wearing masks. Those who put on the face covers do so to avoid fines.
Health experts have been sounding alarm over the latest reports that the surge within the Covid infections in Maharashtra and Kerala have nothing to do with the UK or South African strain. A leading research institute has stated that there are more than 7,000 mutations of covid-19 in India, with many having serious implications. As far as mass vaccination is concerned, the state-wise data reveals that India has a long way to go.
