In a wake to contain coronavirus and return to normalcy, the Union Health Ministry has introduced new strategy which is known as cluster containment zones.
The cluster containment strategy will impose restrictions on people after India lifts lockdown. As per a document of the Union Health Ministry The Cluster Containment Strategy would be to contain the disease within a defined geographic area by early detection of cases, breaking the change of transmission and thus preventing its spread to new areas.
Haryana has already adopted the cluster containment strategy on Saturday and divided its 22 districts would be divided into three zones.
As per reports, Punjab state government is also considering the strategy prescribed by the central government.
So what is this containment strategy and how it can be beneficial for India in lifting lockdown:
What Is Cluster Containment Strategy?
The Cluster Containment Strategy would be to contain the disease within a defined geographic area by early detection of cases, breaking the change of transmission and thus preventing its spread to new areas,” the document says.
This suggests that while the spread of Covid-19 in our population could be high, it unlikely that it will be uniformly affecting all parts of the country.
This calls for a differential approach to different regions of the country, while mounting a strong containment effort in hotspots.
How The Strategy Came?
The strategy builds on the experience from the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, with that virus affecting bigger cities and well-connected towns much more than rural areas.
How The States Will Be Divided?
As per an official, the central government is likely to categorize the country into three zones -- red, orange and green -- depending on the number of COVID-19 cases.
Red Zone: There will be no activity in the red zones -- the districts where sizeable number of cases were detected or areas which were declared hotspots.
Orange Zone: Where only a few cases were found in the past with no increase in the number of positive cases -- minimum activities like opening of limited public transport, harvesting of farm products will be allowed
Green Zone: This will be in the districts where there is no COVID-19 case.
How Haryana Has divided its districts based on this strategy?
The four infection hotspots in the state, all in NCR — Gurugram Faridabad, Nuh (Mewat) and Palwal — which have a significant number of cases and have already announced containment zones were all declared ‘red zones’ by the CM Khattar.
Similarly, places of Punjab like Mohali, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Nawanshahr, where there is a larger concentration of corona cases will come under red zones. Firozpur, Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Fazilka which was recently termed as corona free.
How It Can Be Useful For Both Central and State Government?
Gurugram, along with Mumbai and Bengaluru, is considered the heart of India corporate economy. Reopening the city, base for hundreds of Indian and multinational companies and an ecosystem of startups, is crucial for the economy and focus will remain around exploring a staggered resumption of economic activity.
Punjab being an agricultural as well as industrial area will also ease the state's economic situation and the state will take one more step to lift lockdown,