Mysuru/Mysore: In the wake of spread of COVID-19( Coronavirus), as a precautionary measure to prevent large public gatherings, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta has invoked part 3 of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) in Mysuru city, prohibiting mass gatherings for religious events. This prohibitory order is applicable till further notice. Accordingly, City Police Commissioner has issued the following orders:

1. Closure of cinema halls, theatres, malls, pubs, nightclubs, exhibition, any sports activity where people gather in large numbers including cricket, football, hockey and other tournaments. People are instructed to avoid attending any large gatherings such as religious and cultural events. 

2. Closure of swimming pools, gym etc; 3. Closure of schools, colleges, coaching centres and other educational institutions.

4. Private organisations including IT and BT companies must adhere to precautionary measures and if possible, instruct their employees to work from home.

5. Private hospitals and nursing homes have been instructed to be alert and inform the Chief Medical Officer or on the helpline in case any person who has returned from a foreign country, approaches them for treatment.

6. Under the Mysuru City Commissionerate limits, all festivals and fairs have been cancelled to curb massive congregations including mass marriages, cultural programmes, distribution of food and prasadam.

7. No permission will be given for public meetings, summer camps, conferences and other such events.

8. People are advised to conduct wedding ceremony in a simple manner.

In temples and other such religious centres, daily rituals and pujas can be held in a low key manner avoiding mass gatherings. Exams shall be conducted as scheduled with all necessary precautionary measures.

Health Ministry issues additional travel and social distancing measure advisories

Meanwhile, Ministry of Health and Family  Welfare has issued an advisory yesterday on Social Distancing Measure in an effort to combat COVID-19. Elaborating on the concept of social distancing and how it will help in reducing the spread of virus, the official press release said, “Social distancing is a non-pharmaceutical infection prevention and control intervention implemented to avoid/decrease contact between those who are infected with a disease-causing pathogen and those who are not, so as to stop or slow down the rate and extent of disease transmission in a community. This eventually leads to a decrease in spread, morbidity and mortality due to the disease.”

The Ministry has proposed 15 interventions including closure of all educational establishments, gyms, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres; ongoing exams to be conducted only after ensuring a physical distance of one meter amongst students; encourage private sector organisations/ employers to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible; meetings, as far as feasible, shall be done through video conferences; restaurants to ensure handwashing protocol and proper cleanliness of frequently touched surfaces; keep already planned weddings to a limited gathering, postpone all non-essential social and cultural gatherings; non-essential travel should be avoided; hospitals to follow the necessary protocol related to COVID-19 management as prescribed and restrict family/ friends/ children visiting patients in hospitals; hygiene and physical distancing have to be maintained. Shaking hands and hugging as a matter of greeting to be avoided.

In continuation of the travel advisory issued on Mar.11, the Ministry has issued the following additional advisory: 1. Expanding compulsory quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days for passengers coming from/ transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. This will come into effect from tomorrow (Mar. 18) at the port of first departure.

2. Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from tomorrow. No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from tomorrow. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.

Both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till Mar. 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.