Delhi CM Enforces Yellow Alert Amidst Rising Omicron Cases

yellow alert in delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on 28 December that more COVID restrictions will be imposed in Delhi as a yellow alert has been sounded under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The announcement was made following a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. A night curfew between 11 PM to 5 AM had already come into effect from December 27 to control the spread of the virus. “AAP government is more prepared than before to deal with any Covid surge", Arvind Kejriwal assured.

What is yellow alert?

The yellow alert for COVID-19 comes under the Delhi government’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) that is spread out over four phases and was approved by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) earlier this year following the brutal second wave. The yellow alert is to be issued in the event of the positivity rate going beyond the 0.5 percent mark.

Here's what will shut under yellow alert:

• Schools and other educational institutions will shut down.
• Restaurants and bars will have to shut after 10 PM and at 50 percent capacity only.
• Cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools and other auditoriums will be shut temporarily.
• No large public gatherings will be allowed.
• Weddings and other social functions can include only 20 persons.
• Metros and buses will operate at 50 percent seating capacity.
• Only one weekly market per zone with 50 per cent vendors can open.
• Private offices can function with up to 50 per cent of the staff.
• In yellow alert, there is a provision to ban social, political, religious, festival and entertainment-related activities.
• Religious places will remain open.  Entry of devotees, however, will be restricted.
• Hotels will remain open but banquets and conference halls inside the hotel will stay shut.
•  Shops selling non-essential items will reportedly be opened but only on alternate days.