To deal with third COVID-19 wave, Delhi govt readies Graded Response Action Plan

With fears of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the Delhi government has prepared a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under this plan, the administration will take steps according to four types of alerts to restrict various activities in the national capital.

The GRAP was approved in the meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) held on Friday. The plan is a four-stage, colour-coded alert system in which action will be decided basis the circumstances. The four types of alerts in GRAP will be Level-1 (Yellow), Level-2 (Amber), Level-3 (Orange) and Level-4 (Red).
 
The alerts - Yellow, Amber, Orange and Red - have been arranged in terms of the severity of the pandemic, taking into consideration factors such as positivity rate, cumulative new positive cases, and average weekly occupancy rate of oxygen beds. 

Level-1 (Yellow): This will be applicable when the positivity rate is more than 0.5% for two consecutive days. This means either 1500 new cases in the last 1 week or patients are admitted to 500 oxygen beds in a week. With this alert, shops in markets and malls dealing with non-essential goods and services will be allowed to open between 10 am and 8 pm, as per the odd-even formula.
 
Level-2 (Amber) - This will be applicable when the positivity rate is more than 1 percent for two consecutive days, or 3500 new infection cases come within 1 week or patients are admitted to 700 oxygen beds in a week. Shops in malls will witness a further reduction in timings under the 'Amber' alert.
 
Level-3 (Orange) - This will be applicable when there is more than 2 percent positivity rate for two consecutive days or 9000 infection cases come within 1 week or if patients are admitted on 1000 oxygen beds in a week. Only essential services, stand-alone shops and construction activities with on-site labourers will be allowed during the 'Orange' alert.
 
Level-4 (Red) - This will be applicable when there is more than 5 percent positivity rate for two consecutive days or more than 16000 new infection cases come in a week or if patients are admitted on 3000 oxygen beds. While Red is the highest level of alert in terms of severity, most economic activities will come to a halt with the announcement of an Orange alert. Further restrictions will be planned under the Red alert when the situation arises.

"The Graded Response Action Plan was passed in DDMA meeting today. There will be no doubt about when the lockdown will take place and when it will open," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.

As per the GRAP, shops in malls will witness a further reduction in timings under the 'Amber' alert and will be shut altogether, along with weekly markets, when the alert is raised to 'Orange'.

Only essential services, stand-alone shops and construction activities with on-site labourers will be allowed during the 'Orange' alert.

While Red is the highest level of alert in terms of severity, most economic activities will come to a halt with the announcement of an Orange alert. Further restrictions will be planned under the Red alert when the situation arises.