"Curb all potential ‘super spreader’ events and places on New Year Eve"

The government has given liberties to the state government to impose local restrictions in view of the new year celebrations which might turn out to be a super spreader event.

A super spreader event is those gatherings in which one or a few persons can infect a large number of people within a short period of time due to physical proximity.

These people further return to their places and spread there. Keeping the risk in mind, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to all the states and union territories.

In his letter, he has advised that the number of covid-19 active cases is declining steadily in the country for the last three and a half months, and keeping in view the fresh surge of covid-19 cases in Europe and America, there is still a need for maintaining comprehensive precaution and strict surveillance within our country.

“You would appreciate that in the wake of New Year and various celebratory events associated with it as well as on-going winter session strict vigil is required to be maintained to curb all potential ‘super spreader’ events and places where crowds may gather,” Bhushan said.

He has also drawn attention towards a recent circular released by the Home Ministry which has been addressed to chief secretaries of all the states.

The Home Ministry has asked states to impose local restrictions such as nigh curfew etc on the basis of their assessment of the situation of the infection.

However, states cannot impose any restriction on the interstate and intrastate movement of persons and goods.