Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: The Maharashtra Government on Thursday announced that all COVID-19 related restrictions including the wearing of masks in public places will be withdrawn from Saturday.
“We will withdraw all the COVID-19 related restrictions from the state from Gudi Padwa. The decision has been taken today in the cabinet meeting. An order will be issued for the same. We will withdraw the order which made it mandatory to wear a mask,” said Health Minister Rajesh Tope after the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Chief Minister Thackeray said that the Gudi Padwa festival marks the new year.
“All COVID restrictions in Maharashtra will be lifted, as we bring in the new year this Gudi Padwa!” tweeted the Chief Minister.
The Disaster Management Act as well as the Infectious Diseases Prevention Act which were invoked with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic will be withdrawn.
In Bengal, in view of the overall decline in the total caseload and positivity rate and overall improvement in the situation, the government in West Bengal revoked COVID-19 restrictions in the state on Thursday. “It is hereby notified that as currently in force by aforesaid orders are hereby withdrawn. However, advisory in respect of health and hygiene protocols including wearing of masks at all times, hand hygiene and sanitization of public places shall continue to be strictly observed until further orders,” said the state government in an official release.
The employers, management bodies, owners, supervisors of all offices, establishments and workplaces shall be responsible for the provisioning of all COVID safety measures including regular sanitization of workplaces and COVID appropriate norms, directed the government.
The state government also instructed the district administration, police commissionerates and local authorities to ensure strict compliance of health and hygiene protocols and advisories on COVID appropriate behaviour.
“Restrictions like 50 per cent capacity in buses, restaurants and cinema theatres, double vaccination compulsion in travel and buses will be withdrawn,” said Tope.
However, the Health Minister advised the citizens to adhere to COVID appropriate behaviour.
The Health Minister cited the decline in daily COVID-19 cases and positivity rate as the reason behind withdrawing the restrictions.
Maharashtra on Thursday reported 183 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the number of active cases to 902.
One fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, as per the bulletin released on Thursday.
Meanwhile, India logged 1,233 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry informed on Wednesday.
In the last 24 hours, as per the Ministry, 1,876 recoveries were also reported. With total recoveries since the beginning of the COVID pandemic at 4,24,87,410, the recovery rate of India presently stands at 98.75 per cent. (ANI)
