Containment measures to be implemented till May 31, follow health ministry advisory strictly: MHA to all states and UTs

The Union Home Ministry while extending guideline directives till May 31 has asked to strictly follow containment measures suggested by the Health Ministry this month.

Issuance of the guidelines has also ruled out nationwide lockdown.

"In an order issued today, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to consider the containment measures, as had been conveyed in the advisory of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), dated 25.4.2021, for immediate implementation based on the assessment of the situation. It asked the States and UTs to implement the necessary containment measures, under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005," MHA said in a press release.

Health ministry, in their advisory dated 25.4.2021, had asked the States and UTs to identify districts where either the tests positivity had been more than 10 per cent or more in the last one week; or, where bed occupancy was more than 60 per cent; districts fulfilling any of the above two criteria should be considered for taking intensive and local containment measures, the Home Ministry said.

"The implementation framework for community containment/ large containment areas, as advised by MoHFW, has also been enclosed with the MHA order.

The National Directives for COVID-19 Management shall continue to be strictly followed throughout the country.

The MHA order shall be effective till 31.5.2021," the Home ministry added.

( With inputs from ANI )