Unlock 5 guidelines – Here is All You Need To Know

Unlock 5 guidelines: What’s allowed, what’s not

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued new Unlock 5 guidelines in a nationwide lockdown, which was imposed on March 24 to prevent the spread of the deadly Kovid-19 virus.

Exemptions have been issued for the opening of more activities in areas outside the exempt areas.

This is the fifth set of unlocked guidelines issued by the MHA. Unlocked 5.0 guidelines will apply from 1 October.

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The new guidelines, released today, are based on the feedback received from many states and union territories and extensive consultation with concerned central ministries and department officials.

List of permitted activities in areas outside the containment areas

• Cinema / theater / multiplex will be allowed to open up to 50% of their seating capacity, for which SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• Business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions will be allowed to open, for which the SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce.
• The swimming pool being used for the training of players will be allowed to open, for which the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYA & S).
• Amusement parks and similar locations will be allowed to open, for which SOP will be issued by MoHFW.
• Opening of schools, colleges, educational institutions and coaching institutes.
• For reopening of schools and coaching institutes, the State / UT Governments are allowed to take decisions in a hierarchical manner after 15 October 2020.
• Based on the assessment of the situation, the decision will be taken in consultation with the concerned school / institute management and will be subject to the following conditions
• Online / distance learning will continue to be the preferred method of learning and will be encouraged.
• Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than being physically present, they may be allowed to do so.
• Students can visit schools / institutes only with the written consent of parents.
• Attendance should not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent.
• State / UTs prepare their respective SOPs regarding health / safety precautions to reopen schools / institutes based on SOP to be issued by Ministry of Education, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Government of India. Will, keeping in mind the local requirements.
• Schools that are allowed to open must compulsorily comply with the SOP to be issued by the Education Departments of the States / UTs.
• The Department of Higher Education (DHE), based on the assessment of the Ministry of Education, may decide on the opening time of colleges / higher education institutions in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Online / distance learning will continue to be the preferred method of learning and will be encouraged.
• Social / educational / sports / entertainment / cultural / religious / political work and other congregations are already permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, only outside the container zone.
• Now the State / UT Governments have been given the flexibility to allow such meetings beyond the limit of 100 persons, outside the Containment Zone, after October 15, 2020, which will be subject to the following conditions:
• In closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the hall’s capacity will be allowed with a ceiling of 200 persons. Wearing face masks, maintaining social disturbances, thermal scanning and use of hand washes or sanitizers will be mandatory.
• Provision for mandatory wearing of face masks, thermal scanning and hand washes or sanitizers, in open spaces, keeping in mind the size of the ground / space, and with strict adherence to social disturbances.
• To ensure that such meetings do not circulate COVID-19, the State / UT Governments will issue detailed SOPs to regulate such meetings, and strictly enforce it.
• No restriction on inter-state and inter-state movement

There will be no restriction on the inter-state and inter-state movement of persons and goods. Separate permission/approval / e-permit will not be required for such movements.

All activities will be allowed outside the permitted area, except for the following activities:

• International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA.
• Amusement parks and similar locations will remain closed.
• Lockdown will be strictly enforced in the container zone by 31 October
• The container zone will be demarcated at the micro-level at the district level after taking into account the MoHFW guidelines aimed at effectively breaking the chain of transmission zones.
• Strict prevention measures will be implemented in these prevention areas and only necessary activities will be allowed.
• Within the construction zone, strict perimeter control will be maintained and only necessary activities will be permitted.

Protection for vulnerable people

Vulnerable persons, i.e., persons over 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children under 10 years of age are advised to stay at home, except for necessary requirements and for health purposes.

However, higher education institutes require laboratory / experimental works only for research scholars (PhD) and postgraduate students in science and technology stream, which will be allowed to open from October 15, 2020:

For centrally funded higher education institutions, the head of the institute will satisfy himself / herself that there is a real need for research scholars (PhDs) and postgraduate students in science and technology streams for laboratory / practical work.

For all other higher education institutions e.g. State Universities, Private Universities etc., they can open only to research scholars (PhD) and postgraduate students in the science and technology stream required for laboratory / experimental work as decided by the respective State / UT Governments.