Govt plans staggered exit from lockdown

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Shimla : Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has dithered from making any announcement on the extension of curfew that expires on April 14, but the government is preparing a staggered exit plan to bring the state back to normalcy after a 21-day lockdown.

Presiding over a high-level meeting with top officials here today, the Chief Minister said the government would prepare the exit plan keeping in view the economic activity and food requirements of the vulnerable sections of society.

How it will work

  • The exit plan will be initiated only when there is an initial flattening of infection curve
  • All identified hotspots will be isolated from other parts where no case is detected
  • The supply of food and other essential commodities will be entrusted with the police and the local administration in hotspots
  • The plan will be prepared keeping in view health and economic variables as well

Thakur said the state would be divided into six zones considering the Covid status of each zone. The zones would be red, orange (four different zones) and green zone.

The Chief Minister, however, clarified that the exit plan would be initiated only and only when there was an initial flattening of infection curve and there follows a trend indicating that Himachal will reach a stage zero infection.

All identified hotspots would be isolated from other parts where no case was detected. The supply of food and other essential commodities would be entrusted with the police and the local administration in such areas, he added.

The plan would be prepared keeping in view health and economic variables as well. The capacity of the state’s healthcare system to protect public life, personnel discharging essential services and medical professionals deployed to stem the epidemic during the days to come and capacity to build resilience against the disease would be taken into consideration, he said.

Adviser, Planning, Dr Basu Sood made a presentation on the draft exit plan. Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, Director General of Police SR Mardi, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar and other officials were present to discuss the issue.

Source : The Tribune