Taking account of the Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Gujarat government issued guidelines allowing less than 200 people to gather at the state churches on Christmas. Similar kind of restriction on public movement and assembling has also been imposed for New Year’s celebrations.
According to the fresh guidelines, night curfews will continue from 9 pm to 6 am every day at the busiest cities of the state, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, until further notice, reported IE. These precautionary measures are taken amid growing concern over new mutant coronavirus variant claiming grounds in the UK.
A statement by Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja on Wednesday said that ahead of December 25th festivities, New Year’s Eve and New Year, the guidelines the Gujarat authorities had imposed on September 30 about Covid appropriate behaviour will come into function again. No one will be allowed to conduct a rally or possession on the occasion of Christmas this year and only 50% capacity of the church of maximum 200 persons or whichever is less will be allowed to gather at payer assembly at one time.
Mandatory face masks, hand sanitizers, thermal scanning or any kind of social, religious academic or entertainment functions was made mandatory on the government September 30 guidelines.
Gujarat on Wednesday reported958 fresh cases, taking the total count of Covid-19 infections to 2,38, 205 so far, health department sources said. The recovery rate in the state stands at 93.58 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has imposed a night curfew, from 11 pm to 6 am has already in effect at municipal corporation areas of the state until January 5. Prayer assembly at the churches will take place with not more than 50 persons and 10 members on the choir on the day of Christmas.
Karnataka too joined Maharashtra and Gujarat and imposed night curfew between 11 pm and 5 am starting with Christmas eve till January 1. Midnight mass gathering on January 25, however, is allowed at churches.
