Is mini lockdown inevitable in Vizag?

Visakhapatnam: Based on the recent guidelines released by the Union government, will Visakhapatnam go for a mini lockdown or not? The Union Ministry of Health has directed the states to implement mini lockdowns in regions where the coronavirus positivity rate exceeds 10 per cent. Districts exceeding the 10 per cent positivity rate have to implement strict regulations to curb the spread of virus. Except for emergency services, the Centre has directed the states that night curfew should be imposed in respective areas and restrictions should be imposed for all activities.

The Ministry of Health mentioned in the guidelines that social, political, sporting, recreational, educational, cultural, religious and ceremonial meetings and events should be banned. Similarly, all types of shopping complexes, cinema halls, bars, gyms, swimming pools and restaurants should be closed completely. Meanwhile, public transport vehicles should be driven not exceeding the capacity of 50 per cent. However, in Visakhapatnam, except the state-wide night curfew which came into effect recently, it is business as usual across the district.

Currently, the positivity rate in Vizag has crossed 21 per cent. On a single day, about 21.02 per cent persons got tested positive in Visakhapatnam recently. This clearly indicates the rise in the positivity rate in the district which is double the percentage the Centre has set to implement mini lockdowns.

Given the rise in the daily active cases, the rate is further going to go up in the coming days. The number of tests both in government and private labs does not exceed 5,000 a day against 10,000 tests conducted per day in 2020.

The present situation indicates that the positivity rate is likely to go up further if the tests for coronavirus are performed with the same intensity like last year. At present, the district records a minimum 800 positive cases per day. Keeping the surge in view, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Commissioner Commissioner G Srijana said mobile Covid testing centres will be facilitated in the city soon.

Based on the data received from 104 call centre, mobile teams will go and conduct tests. This, the Municipal Commissioner mentioned, will help reduce the spread of the virus to a considerable extent as infected people need not go around the labs for testing.

However, given the surge, it remains to be seen whether mini lockdown will be implemented in the district or not.