New SOP for Assam 2022 Today

Addressing a press meet Assam Chief Minister said that post-January 20, the state government will be able to assess the peak level which may go up to 12000 cases per day.

With the cases of COVID-19 witnessing a massive spike in the recent days and the presence of Omicron in Assam, the state government on January 7 issued a revised SOP effective January 8.

As per the latest SOP, the night curfew timings have been changed to 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM as a preventive measure to check the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Further, all the shops and business establishments are advised to close down by 9:00 PM. Currently, the night curfew timings in Assam are from 11:30 PM till 6 AM the next day.

However, restrictions on public gatherings and mandatory use of masks are included in the new SOPs.

Addressing a press meet Assam Chief Minister said that post-January 20, the state government will be able to assess the peak level which may go up to 12000 per day.

In Aiport and Railway stations, all people with single vaccination and non-vaccination will go under compulsory test. Further, all under 15 years of age will also go thru the test. However, people with the double vaccine will be provided with a leaflet, so that they can go back home and do a COVID-19 test.

Whereas. the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has Issued vide order of December 25. 2021 directives for containment of COVID-19 for both rural and urban areas across the state until further orders: Whereas. the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order dated 27th December 2021 has directed the States/ UTs to consider the implementation of the normative framework for taking evidence-based containment measures at the district/local level as conveyed vide MoHFW advisory dated 21" December 2021 until 30th January 2022 in view of the Initialsigns of surge In cases of COVID 19 as well as increased detection of the Variant of Conoefn (VoC) "Omicron" (Annexure-1);

Whereas. the Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Assam has issued vide order of December 05,2021 detailed guidelines for international travelers coming to Assam to contain the spread of the highly mutant SARs-CoV 2 variant.

Whereas, the status of COVID-19 In the State has aga n been reviewed and It has been observed that the number of COVID-19 cases has been gradually Increasing over thelas1 few days thereby increasing the positivity rate;

Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers, conferred under Section 22(2) (h) of the Disaster Management Act. 2005, the undersigned, in his capacity as Chairperson.

State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority, Assam.do hereby Issues the following guidelines, which are to have strictly adhered across the State for public safety and a possible outbreak of COVID with variant forms of the virus which will come into force with effect from 6 AM of January 8, 2022, and will remain in force until further orders: A. Containment Zones;

In case the test Positivity of COVI0·19 in any area reaches more than 10 cases In the last seven days, the jurisdictional District Magistrate will not for such areas as total containment zone in consultation with MD.NHM and ensure necessary containment measures for COVID 19.

However, in such zones, emergency services will continue round the clock and essential services including shops dealing with groceries, fruits, and vegetables. dairy and milk booths, animal fodder, etc. will remain open up to the usual time of closure. Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce in such areas continue around the clock,

2. Restrictions imposed: Except for exemptions given in Annexure "Ill",

SI No	Restrictions imposed for all districts	Restriction time for all districts
(1)	(2)	(3)
1	Curfew Time	10 PM - 6 AM
2	Opening of workplace and business/ commercial establishments	Not beyond 9 PM
3	Functioning of Government and Private Offices/ Establishments .	As per usual working hours but not beyond 9 PM
4	Opening of shops and commercial establishments	Upto 9 PM
5	Shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder	Upto 9 PM
6	Dine in restaurants, dhabas and other eateries (Upto 50% of seating capacity)	Upto 9 PM
7	Takeaway of food items from restaurants, dhabas and other eateries	Upto 10 PM
8	Opening of Sale counters, showrooms etc. of cold storages and warehouses	Upto 9 PM

Other restrictions and relaxations:

All Government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) should be fully vaccinated and shall attend office. Employees who are not fully vaccinated will not be allowed to attend office and they will have to avail leave if available or extraordinary leave for which they will not be paid salary.

However, all other employees except those whose case vaccination is contra indicated as per guidelines issued by the Health Department of Government of Assam and /or such claim are certified by a registered medical practitioner, will have to get themselves vaccinated and attend office.

Employees engaged in an emergency I essential services shall attend their duty without any restrictions at any place.

The organizations (Government I Private) rendering Essential/Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Services and Election work will continue working without any restrictions in all districts.

Public Transport (Government and private)

Goods transport shall continue unhindered.

All Public transport authorities shall enforce COVI D-19 appropriate behaviour and seating inside the vehicles, carriers, containers etc.

Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate for passengers with 100% seating capacity and observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour for passengers who are fully vaccinated.

Pillion riding on motorcycles may be allowed who are fully vaccinated. and compulsory wearing of a mask.

Intra-district transport, with 100% seating capacity subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, shall be allowed for passengers who are fully vaccinated.

No standing passenger shall be allowed. A heavy fine will be imposed on such passengers and the driving license of the driver/ registration of the vehicle will also be cancelled in the event of carrying standing passengers.

All inter-district passenger transport and movement shall be allowed with 100% of passengers who are fully vaccinated subject to observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

Wearing of face mask is mandatory even for a single person driving a vehicle. In case of persons traveling in any private car, up to 100 % of its seating capacity, wearing of face mask is mandatory for all the persons.

Educational Institutions (Government and Private):

All Educational Institutions including Schools/Colleges/Universities shall continue to provide quality virtual options.

All schools upto Class VIII in Kamrup-Metropolitan district and upto Class V in all other districts shall remain closed. No physical classes are allowed.

Physical classes shall be allowed on alternate days for class IX and above in the Kamrup-Metro district and for class VI and above in all other districts.

The physical classes in respect of Degree/Post-Graduate final year students of Engineering/Medical Colleges may be allowed with fully vaccinated students.

SI No	Restrictions imposed	Details of restrictions imposed
(1)	(2)	(3)
1	Name of the district	All districts
2	Meeting/gathering at any open or closed spaces	In the case of open spaces, jurisdictional DDMAs shall fix the limit of gatherings depending on Covid situation in their respective districts •In closed venues gathering is allowed upto 50% of the seating capacity of hall, auditorium etc limited to a maximum of 200. •Jurisdictional District Disaster Management Authority can locally regulate on number of persons in meetings in closed and open spaces and also for religious and official functions.
3	Marriages/Religious functions	Allowed with not more than 200 single vaccinated persons subject to sl 2 above.
4	Religious Places/Social	Allowed up to 60 fully vaccinated persons per hour for iconic places and 40 fully vaccinated persons per hour for other religious places. Only fully vaccinated pilgrims are to be allowed entry by Puja Committees/organizers.
5	Funeral/last rites	Allowed with not more than 100 persons subject to sl 2 above.
6	Hotels/resorts	Upto 9 PM
7	Delivery of essential goods through e- Commerce	Up to 10 PM

8	Weekly Haats I bazaars	Allowed to open in shift of maximum 6 hours
9	Pharmacies, Hospitals, Animal Care Centres and Veterinary clinics	Round the clock
10	Cinema/Theatre Hall	Allowed with 50% of seating capacity of fully vaccinated viewers and observance of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour

Omicron specific regulation

All District Magistrates, Superintendent of Police, and all other authorities concerned shall be responsible for ensuring COVID Appropriate Behaviour viz . wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, regular hand washing and use of sanitiser, maintaining health hygiene, no spitting etc. in all shops, malls, markets, market complexes, weekly markets, restaurants, ISBTs, railway platforms I stations, cinemas /theatres I multiplexes, auditoriums I assembly halls, banquet halls, marriage halls, schools, colleges, educational I coaching institutes, religious places etc. for containment of COVID-19 virus.

All District Magistrates, Superintendent of Police should ensure that the people who visit the above-mentioned places strictly follow COVID Appropriate Behaviour and are wearing masks, maintaining social distancing etc. without fail.

If the aforesaid norms of COVID Appropriate Behaviour are not maintained at any establishment/ business premises/weekly market/ schools, colleges, educational I coaching institutes, libraries, religious places etc, then such premises/ weekly market shall be liable to be closed for containing the spread of COVID-19 virus and the defaulter shall also be liable for criminal prosecution under the relevant laws.

All District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police shall deploy a sufficient number of teams for keeping utmost vigil at public places and for enforcing COVID Appropriate Behaviour so as to avoid any possibility of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Miscellaneous

Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places and non-compliance with the same will attract fines.

Non-vaccinated people shall not be allowed entry in public spaces in places ( except hospitals ) w.e.f. January 15, 2022.

All people are mandated to carry proof of being fully vaccinated at all places.

The owners of such public/private enterprises shall be responsible to ensure that the entrants are fully vaccinated by checking their vaccination status. Failure to do so shall attract penal action.

Shop owners shall ensure a minimum of six feet distance among customers and shall not allow more than 5 persons inside the shop at any time. In additon, shop owners should compulsorily keep sanitizers and hand-wash with shops.

Shopkeepers and customers shall have to wear masks Industrial units and Tea gardens may function subject to observance of COVIO appropriate behavior. Head of the uniUtea garden shall be responsible for ensuring soc al distancing, mask-wearing by workers and staff, sanitization on of industrial premises. thermal scanning etc.

Deputy Commissioners and Excise authority will continue taking strong action against illegal production and sa1e of country liquor in all the districts as a COVID containment measure.

7 January 2022