With Covid cases declining steadily in Uttar Pradesh in recent weeks, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has decided to further ease restrictions from June 21.
During the meeting to assess the COVID-19 management, CM Adityanath directed relaxation of two more hours in the curfew period, Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal said in a statement.
"Amidst the improved conditions of COVID infections, further relaxation will be given in the corona curfew from coming Monday, June 21," he said.
From next Monday (June 21), the night curfew hours will be effective from 9 pm to 7 am. So far, the restrictions were effective from 7 pm to 7 am the following day.
Relaxations given by Uttar Pradesh government-
According to a government statement, shopping malls and restaurants will be allowed to open from June 21 with 50 per cent capacity with strict adherence to Covid protocols.
Parks will also be open from June 21 while street vendors will be allowed to do business as usual. However, a Covid helpdesk will be set up at all these places.
The detailed guidelines regarding the new system would be issued in time, Sehgal said.
Arrangements being made to prevent third wave
According to a government statement, CM Adityanath told the meeting that the pandemic situation in the state is getting better with every day and the spread of the virus has now weakened, but the risk of infection still remains.
He said all necessary arrangements are being made to prevent a possible third wave of the pandemic and a special programme of door-to-door distribution of medical kits for children below 18 years has been started from Tuesday.
Uttar Pradesh COVID cases
With 74 more Covid fatalities in Uttar Pradesh, the death toll in the state rose to 21,858 on Monday, while 339 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 17,02,937, according to a health bulletin.
Of the new deaths, 10 were reported from Bareilly, eight from Gorakhpur, seven each from Meerut and Bhadohi and five from Jhansi, among others.
23 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported from Lucknow, 17 from Meerut, 15 each from Muzaffarnagar, Sultanpur and 10 from Shamli, among others, the bulletin said.
In the past 24 hours, as many as 1,116 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the total number of recoveries to 16,72,968. The recovery rate in the state has now come to 98.2 per cent.
