Unlock 3.0: Know What is Open & What is Closed amid Covid-19

Unlock 3.0 will start from August 1, though it will be similar to the 2.0 one important change is yoga institutes and gyms will now be allowed to operate. However, schools, metro, colleges will remain close till August 31. The ban will continue on cinema halls and international travel.

On Wednesday, the home ministry announced fresh guidelines under the Unlock 3.0 to relax some lockdown restrictions outside containment zones. Unlock 3.0 will begun from Saturday.

“Yoga institutes, gyms will be allowed to open from August 5. The SOPs will be issued by the Union health ministry,” said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a press note.

The government added state, district, and panchayat-level officials should ensure social distance norms and compulsory masks are followed on the Independence Day celebrations. Besides, Cinema halls, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, swimming pools, and auditoriums will stay closed until August 31.

“Large gatherings are bad and can result in an increase in Covid-19 cases again. State governments are against the opening of schools, colleges, and educational institutions,” said a government official to ET.

Under the Vande Bharat Programme, limited travel will be allowed under the International category. Any further opening of travel routes and passengers will be taken in a calibrated manner by the MHA.

Entertainment, academic, social, political, cultural, and religious functions will not be allowed until August 31, said the press release. The government said the new guidelines framed are based on the feedback it received from states and Union territories.

The two long months lockdown implemented by the government starting from March 25 which ended on May 31 to control the spread of corona. Then the government started to unlock the country to start reviving the economy.

The home ministry said shutdowns will continue in containment zones until August 31. The hotspots were the infection spread is severe, strict physical distancing, and other norms for containing the spread of the coronavirus will be maintained and movement will be allowed only for essential activities.