In huge relief, Centre to lift all Covid restrictions except for masks in India from March 31

Two years after imposing sweeping restrictions in wake of Covid-19, one of the deadliest health pandemics of history, the Centre on Wednesday decided has decided to end all COVID-19 containment measures from March 31, 2022.

However, wearing of face mask and maintaining social distancing norms will continue as earlier.

In a communication to the chief secretaries of all states, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that over the last 24 months, significant capacities have been developed for various aspects of management of the pandemic, such as diagnostics, surveillance, contact tracing, treatment, vaccination, hospital infrastructure.

Also, the general public now has much higher level of awareness on the COVID-appropriate behavior, he said.

He added that the states and Union Territories have also developed their own capacities and systems and implemented their detailed specific plans for managing the pandemic, adding over the last seven weeks or so there has been a steep decline in the number of cases.

The Central government had on March 24, 2020 issued for the first time orders and guidelines under the Disaster Management Act, (DM Act) 2005 for the containment of COVID-19 in the country and these have been modified on various occasions.

Accordingly, Bhalla said, after the expiry of the existing order on March 31, no further order will be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Home Secretary, however, said that in view of the nature of the disease, people still need to remain watchful of the situation. He said whenever any surge in the number of cases is observed, states and UTs may consider taking prompt and proactive action at the local level, as advised by the Ministry of Health from time to time.

The total caseload in the country stands at 23,913 only (on March 22) and the daily positivity rate has declined to 0.28 per cent, he said.