COVID: Delhi Govt’s Colour-Coded Action Plan

As the Covid-19 positivity rate in Delhi is increasing, there is a strong likelihood that Graded Response Action Plan will come into force. On December 26, 2021 the positivity rate was at 0.55%.

Highlights

Under the colour-coded action plan, the level of restrictions in markets, offices, industries, and public transport will be determined on the basis of Covid-19 test positivity rate, new active cases, and occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals. The colour-coded action plan was notified in August 2021.

About Graded Response Action Plan

• The plan states that, restrictions will be based on three parameters-

1. Positivity rate
2. Cumulative active cases and
3. Occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals.

• Restrictions under the plan have been classified under four alerts namely, Yellow, Amber, Orange and Red alerts.
• Yellow is the lowest level of alert while Red is the highest. The red alert will bring Delhi under complete lockdown.

Yellow Alert

Yellow alert will go out, when positivity rate remains over 0.5 per cent for two consecutive days or when the cumulative new positive cases touch 1,500 cases for a one week, or when the average occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals remains 500 in a week. Under Yellow alert, Public parks, gardens, industrial establishments & construction activities barber shops, saloons, e-commerce and beauty parlours will be fully allowed while on other activities there will be certain restrictions.

Amber alert

This alert will go out, when the test positivity rate remains more than 1 per cent for two consecutive days, or when in a week there are 3,500 new cases or when average oxygen bed occupancy remains over 700 in a week.

Orange Alert

Orange alert will kick in when the positivity rate remains more than 2 percent for two consecutive days. With this alert, stricter restrictions will come into effect.

Red alert

The red alert will kick in when the positivity rate will become more than 5 per cent two days in a row or when there are 16,000 new cases in a week.