Graded response plan approved

Activities to be allowed or restricted based on positivity rate, among other factors

A Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was passed at a Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to discuss the COVID situation in the Capital with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday.

After detailed deliberations and presentations made by Health Department and ICMR, it was decided to notify the GRAP that will “objectively and transparently” ensure an “institutional and automatic” response with regards to enforcement measures, lockdowns and unlock activities, an expert present at the meeting said.

The government said the plan was prepared in comparison with ascent data of the four waves at specific positivity rates of 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5% and also considered on the basis of the earlier four waves.

Activities under various categories will now be allowed or restricted based on the cumulative positivity rate, the number of cases and the occupancy of oxygenated beds in the city either being breached or receding from a defined threshold.

“This GRAP is of extreme importance. There will be a sense of certainty and accountability on our part towards the people of Delhi. The plan descriptively elaborates upon when the lockdown will be imposed and when it will be lifted,” Mr. Kejriwal said at the meeting.

New variants

Concerns arising out of new variants like Delta Plus and LAMBDA were discussed at length and measures like vaccination, genome sequencing, testing, tracking and surveillance were suggested as the most effective steps to mitigate their spread, said experts present in the meeting. An expert said it was felt that the guard against the virus could not be let down and concerns were expressed over the flouting of COVID-appropriate behaviour.

Violations during travel

“It was stressed that apart from enforcement efforts on part of various agencies the onus of ensuring and enforcing COVID-appropriate behaviour lay with stakeholder organisations like MTAs and RWAs as well,” an expert said. People travelling in large numbers to tourist destinations and violating COVID guidelines was also flagged as an area of concern even as an ICU bed capacity of 12,000, sufficient oxygen, drugs and ambulances were stressed upon to deal with any future surge or wave.

“The preparations are going really well. So, I would like to thank all the experts who have been holding our hand and steering ahead in the preparation of this roadmap. A huge thanks to them,” Mr. Kejriwal also said.