Odisha Govt’s new COVID restrictions in force from today; Check what’s allowed & what’s not

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government on January 5 had issued fresh guidelines keeping in view the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the state in last few days.

The fresh guidelines will be in force from 5 AM of January 7, 2022 to 5 AM of February 1, 2022.

As per the guidelines, night curfew will be imposed in urban areas of Odisha from 9 PM to 5 AM every day from today (January 7).

Also Read: COVID cases surge as Odisha reports first Omicron death

All district Collectors, SPs, Municipal Commissioners and Police Commissioner of the Twin City were asked to enforce the new guidelines strictly.

What’s allowed:
Political, sports, academic functions and gatherings will be allowed with a limit of 100 persons. In closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed subject to the limit of attendees.

• All examinations including summative examinations will continue as per schedule.
• Schools and colleges are allowed to oragnise online classes.
• Shops, malls and shopping complexes will remain open across the State from 5 AM to 9 PM every day.
• Mall owners must ensure that persons entering malls are screened for temperature, use mask properly and maintain physical distancing.
• Marriages, thread ceremony and related gathering will be allowed with approval from local authorities with a ceiling of 100 persons. Marriage procession will be allowed with the ceiling of 30 participants and prior approval from competent authorities. Marriage procession will have maximum of 100 persons.
• Marriage function and one reception will be allowed. All other events and activities related to such functions will be organized in houses with family members only.
• Funerals, last rites and related gatherings with approval from local authorities will be allowed with a ceiling of 50 persons.
• Religious rituals in temples, churches, mosques and places of worship will be allowed with limited number of priests and staff adhering to Covid safety protocols.
• Haats and markets including fish markets will be decentralized and allowed to operate with minimum 30 feet distance from shop to shop.
• Hotels, restaurants, dhabas, bars and pubs are allowed to operate with 50% of seating capacity amid adherence of Covid-19 safety protocols.
• Street vendors, food vendors will be allowed to operate in adherence to Covid protocols. At more than five customers are not allowed.
• Gymnasiums, spas, beauty parlours and saloon will be allowed to within the time schedule fixed by the government with full compliance of Covid protocols.
• Cultural gatherings, programmes inclduing melodies and orchestras are allowed to be held with 50% of capacity with due compliance to Covid protocols.
• Official meeting, training will be allowed with participation of maximum100 persons with prior written approval of Collector or Municipal Commissioner.
• Indoor and outdoor film shooting or TV serial related shooting will be allowed. Maximum 50 persons will be allowed to be present during the shooting in compliance of Covid protocols.

What’s not:

• No rallies, procession, demonstrations, dharnas, strikes will be allowed. However, maximum five persons will be allowed to handover petitions and memorandums, if any
• Exhibitions, trade fairs, expos and melas will be prohibited
• Physical business to business meetings are prohibited
• No picnic in parks, nature clubs, beaches and other tourist spots will be allowed.
• No cultural and dance programmes will be held in hotels, parks, malls, convention centres and kalayn mandaps.
• Educational institutions will not be allowed to organize excursions and picnics till the eend of January 2022
• Annual Day celebration and anniversary will be allowed in any public places, hotels and grounds etc. Such celebration will be observed only in own houses with participations of limited family members only.
• All anganwadi centres will be closed. Schools and colleges up to Standard 12 will also be closed. However, educational institutions can organize doubt clearing classes for Class 10 and 12 students with consent from parents.
• Food court and food plaza at mall will remain open for take away only. No one will be allowed to consume food in the mall premises.
• Social and religious gatherings will be prohibited.