Ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour is followed, Centre tells States

Home Ministry sends letter to Chief Secretaries as States begin to lift curbs

The Home Ministry has asked all States and Union Territories to keep a close watch while relaxing restrictions in a cautious manner and ensure that there is no complacency in adhering to COVID-19-appropriate behaviour and implement the test-track-treat-vaccinate strategy to contain the spread of infection. In a letter to Chief Secretaries of all the States and Union Territories, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday said vaccination against COVID-19 in the present scenario was critical to break the chain of transmission and, therefore, the respective governments should step up the pace of vaccination to cover the maximum number of people in an expeditious manner. Mr. Bhalla said a significant surge of cases was witnessed during the second wave in several States and Union Territories. Many States imposed restrictions in order to contain the situation. With the decline in the number of active cases, many States and Union Territories have started relaxing restrictions.