COVID-19 in Delhi: 'Amber' alert likely to be issued - Know what will be closed

Amid rising COVID-19 cases in Delhi, the Arvind Kajeriwal-led government in the national capital has issued a Yellow Alert in Delhi. It is to be noted that in Yellow alert, Level 1 restrictions are mposed in Delhi. 

According to the Graded Response Action Plan of Delhi government, the COVID-19 situation can ring four levels of alerts, Level-1 (Yellow), Level-2 (Amber), Level 3 (Orange) and Level 4 (Red). 

These alerts are issued by Delhi government on the basis of three parameters- positivity rate, cumulative COVID-19 cases, and the number of oxygen beds occupied in Delhi. 

If the government decides to issue Amber’ alert in the city, these guidelines will kick in:

- Shops and establishments of non-essential goods and services and malls will open based on an odd-even formula

- Restaurants, bars will be closed. 

- Home delivery or takeaway will be allowed. 

- Private offices will be allowed to function with 50 percent of staff between 9 am to 5 pm. 

- Schools, colleges, sports complexes, cinema halls, spas, banquet and marriage halls will be closed. 

- The alert will force Delhi Metro to run at 33 percent of its seating capacity and no standing passengers. 

- The number of passengers in auto-rickshaws and cabs will be capped at two.

- The busses will ply at 50 percent of capacity.

Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday (January 2) addressed a press conference and said that people should not panic. "As of now, only 82 oxygen beds in hospitals are occupied. Delhi government is prepared will 37,000 beds. I just want to tell you that all new cases are with mild symptoms and are asymptomatic, so there is no need to panic," the Delhi CM said.

"Active COVID-19 cases rose from about 2,000 on December 29 to 6,000 on January 1, but the number of patients in hospitals dipped in this period," Kejriwal added.

Delhi reported 3,194 fresh Covid cases on Sunday. Notably, this is the highest single-day rise in coronavirus since May 20.