The Haryana government has extended Covid-19 restrictions in the state until September 6 in an effort to keep coronavirus cases under control. The state has not announced any new easing as such and has said the guidelines and relaxations issued in previous ordinances will continue.

“The Mahamari-Surakshit Haryana Alert is extended for another fortnight, that is to say from August 23 (5 a.m.) to September 6 (until 5 a.m.) in Haryana State as well as directives to be implemented during this period issued under previous orders, ”said an order issued by Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan on Sunday.

As a result, the “No Mask-No Service” rule will also continue in the state, according to the new command. People without a mask will not be allowed to take public transport, nor to enter any public or private establishment.

Extending the “Mahamari Alert – Surakshit Haryana” for another fortnight, the government of Manohar Lal Khattar also ordered the responsible authorities to keep a continued focus on the fivefold strategy – Testing, Trace, Tracking, Vaccinations and Appropriate Behavior Covid-19 – for effective management of the pandemic.

READ ALSO: The Minister of the Interior of Haryana, Anil Vij, hospitalized after a drop in the level of oxygen

Discover the relaxations

Restaurants, bars, gymnasiums and spas can operate with 50% seating capacity. Stores and malls have also been allowed to operate with social distancing standards. Swimming pools, pavilions and golf courses can open at 50 percent of their capacity.

Movie theaters are allowed to open and operate with a maximum of 50% seating capacity under appropriate Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Indian government.

Gatherings in indoor spaces are permitted with a maximum of 100 people. But, in open spaces, a gathering of up to 200 people will be allowed. Religious places can open at 50 percent of their capacity.

Swimming pools, pavilions and golf courses can open at 50 percent of their capacity. Sports complexes and stadiums were also allowed to open for all kinds of outdoor sporting activities, except contact sports.

READ ALSO: How Haryana fights Covid-19

Educational establishments to be opened

In line with other relaxations authorized previously, the holding of entrance and recruitment examinations by different universities, institutes or government departments and recruitment agencies will continue to be permitted.

All guidelines related to Covid, including those related to social distancing, disinfection and seating capacity, will however need to be followed, depending on the order.

Universities and colleges will be allowed to reopen for students for doubt classes, lab practice classes, practice exams and offline exams in strict compliance with Covid-related standards, previous orders provided.

Rectors of state universities are advised to plan the reopening of universities from the next academic session and to share the program of that session with the relevant department of the state government.

Immediate action can be initiated / ensured by the university administration to fully immunize all hostel students, day schools, faculty and other staff, including contractors, as ordered.

The new directives were issued on Sunday in an order issued by Chief Secretary Vijay Vardhan to all deputy district commissioners and the director general of the Haryana police.

The decree says that the deputy commissioners can, if necessary, invoke the provisions of article 144 (decree prohibiting gatherings) of the CrPC.

Haryana reported 19 new cases of Covid-19 and one death linked to the virus on Saturday.

(With PTI inputs)

READ ALSO: 6 children found positive for Covid in Fatehabad after the reopening of schools by Haryana