Jammu and Kashmir re-opens partially after 31-day lockdown

Markets reopened and public transport plied partially in J&K after a 31-day lockdown on Monday after the administration introduced phased withdrawal of ‘corona curfew’, within the wake of the downward development in variety of the virus circumstances.

The authorities allowed all stand-alone outlets, outside purchasing complexes and outside bazaars to reopen on alternate or rotation foundation, besides Saturdays and Sundays. However, all instructional institutes will stay closed until June 15. Public transport was additionally to ply with 50% seating capability.

Mohammad Aijaz, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, requested the shopkeepers and driver to show their vaccination certificates prominently. “Around 96 containment zones continue to be under the lockdown in Srinagar. It’s mandatory for shopkeepers and transporters to display COVID vaccination certificates.”

All administrative secretaries have been requested to make sure vaccination of all staff above the age of 45 by June 10 and report with compliance accordingly the identical day.

Coronavirus updates | May 31, 2021

The administration plans to vaccinate all the staff above 45 working of their administrative departments by June 10, to renew regular functioning of the places of work.

The restrictions on the variety of folks attending weddings, which is simply round 25, and for funerals, which is round 20, stay. “Religious places shall continue to remain open for public, subject to the SOPs.”

The administration’s transfer has been welcomed by merchants and transporters, who claimed heavy losses because of the extended lockdown. “The transport industry is the worst hit by the curfew. Families are facing starvation,” Muhammad Sultan, who heads a drivers’ physique in Srinagar, mentioned.

Healthy tendencies

The easing of the curbs was determined after the indicators of second wave confirmed a downward development, each by way of infections and mortality.

The J&K Covid Advisory Committee (CAC) has predicted additional enchancment within the virus graph “in the next few weeks”. “The second wave witnessed a steep and abrupt surge in positive cases and deaths in J&K and is likely to die down in coming weeks,” the CAC report mentioned.

The positivity fee got here down from 13% to six.2% within the current weeks. An official mentioned the variety of new infections is much lower than the variety of recovered being discharged from the hospitals .

The Union Territory noticed 2,256 optimistic circumstances on Monday, a major dip from the height touched on May 7 when 5,443 circumstances have been recorded. Around 3,870 folks have died because of the virus until date.

According to covidkashmir.org, which tracks the trajectory of the pandemic, the mattress emptiness has gone up within the hospitals as 2,268 COVID beds have been obtainable in Jammu and 1,460 in Kashmir.

A spokesman of “Athrout Kashmir”, an NGO on the forefront of offering oxygen concentrators to the needy within the Valley, on Monday mentioned, “There was a glimmer of hope after a long time. Today, we have zero patients in the waiting list for oxygen support [5 liters]”.