New Year celebrations on track in Telangana adhere to the existing Covid-19 safety precautions

New Year celebrations can go ahead as planned in the state, provided the congregations at such events, or other events where people were likely to gather, continue to adhere to the existing Covid-19 safety precautions, the government indicated on Saturday.

In its orders imposing certain restrictions, following concerns expressed by the High Court over the spread of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus, the government on Saturday said all rallies and public meetings will be prohibited till January 2, 2022.

With respect to allowing all other congregations, be it family events such as weddings, or festivals, or New Year celebrations and the like, the government said: "Other events involving congregation of people will be permitted subject to the following



directions — physical distancing shall be ensured within the venue; No person without mask shall be allowed in the venue; and infrared thermometers/thermal scanners should be arranged at the entry point to scan persons entering venues where people are likely to gather.”

The government further said the order to penalise anyone not wearing a mask at such or any other gathering of people, will be strictly enforced. The penalty for not wearing a face mask while in public places is Rs 1,000.

The Telangana High Court had on Thursday said the government should take an “appropriate decision” over concerns on possible spread of the Omicron variant and had given the government time till Saturday to announce the measures it would put in place to address these concerns.