Centre's Rules For States On Lockdowns: "Containment To Flatten Curve"

States have been urged to go for an intensive, local and focused containment network focused on districts, cities and areas based on criteria specified by the Union Home Ministry.

The Centre has put out guidelines for states on enforcing lockdowns and containment zones in order to flatten the curve amid spiraling Covid cases. The rules say it is time for such restrictions when the positivity rate is 10 per cent or more for a week and more than 60 per cent hospital beds are occupied. States have been urged to go for an intensive, local and focused containment network focused on districts, cities and areas based on criteria specified by the Union Home Ministry. Where or when to go for a lockdown or what the home ministry calls a "large containment zone" has to be evidence-based and done after analysis based on the population affected, the geographical spread, hospital infrastructure, manpower and the ease of enforcing boundaries, says the home ministry note. But states have been given a broad framework for an "objective, transparent, and epidemiologically sound decision-making" on imposing a lockdown. If the positivity is 10 per cent or more for a week - meaning one in 10 samples are testing positive - and if more than 60 per cent beds, either oxygen-supported or ICU, are occupied by Covid patients.