Unlock 2.0: What is allowed and what's not from July 1

New Delhi, Jun 29:With over 5.5 lakh COVID-19 cases in India, the central government on Tuesday announced lockdown in containment zones to continue till July 31 as it issued new guidelines for Unlock 2 to open up of more activities in areas outside these zones.

The government on Monday night issued guidelines for the month-long 'Unlock 2' -- the "phased re-opening" of activities that had been barred to contain the coronavirus spread in the country -- and said educational institutions, Metro Rail services, cinema halls and gyms will continue to remain closed.

The shops are allowed to function except the containment areas. More than five person are permitted at a time in any shop. However, the social distancing must be strictly maintained.

Here's a lowdown of what will remain operational and what will be closed based on the containment zone you are in:

What is allowed?

• Training institutions of the Central and state governments will be permitted to function after July 15. The department of personnel and training (DoPT) will issue the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for these institutions
• Online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.
• International air travel of passengers in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission allowed. Further opening up will take place in a calibrated manner.
• Domestic flights and passenger trains have already been allowed in a limited manner. Their operations will be further expanded in a calibrated manner.
• There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods including those for cross land-border trade under treatiest with neighbouring states. No separate permission will be required for such movements.
• Shops can allow more than five people at a time.

The activities that will remain closed:

• Schools, colleges, educational institutions will remain closed till July 31.
• Metro Rail.
• Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
• Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations.
• Domestic flights and passenger train operations will be expanded in a calibrated manner.
• Movement of individuals will remain prohibited between 10 pm to 5 am throughout the country.
• Those who are above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.

Lockdown guidelines for containment zones:

• Lockdown will continue to remain in effect till July 31 in containment zones.
• Containment zones will be demarcated with the objective of breaking the chain of transmission.
• Only essential activities will be allowed. No movement of people will be allowed in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies.
• There shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance and other clinical interventions in such zones.
• States/UTs may also identify Buffer Zones, outside the containment zones where new cases are more likely to occur. Within the Buffer Zones, restrictions are considered necessary may be put in place by district authorities.