Explained | What is Delhi's colour-coded system to manage future Covid outbeaks?

The Delhi government has also included odd-even restrictions for malls and markets under this plan

To fight future outbreaks of Covid-19 in different parts of the national capital, Delhi government will soon enforce a colour-coded management system.

An eight-member committee is in the final stage of drafting this graded response action plan. The alerts are categorised into Yellow, Amber, Orange and Red, based on positivity rate, cumulative new positive cases, and average oxygen bed occupancy in hospitals.

The administration has also included the odd-even restrictions for malls and markets in this plan.

Here’s a category-wise explanation of this novel system:

Yellow Alert

This is the first level of alert which will go out if the Covid-19 positivity rate is over 0.5 per cent for two days consecutively, or there are new 1,500 cases recorded in a week. Yellow can also be imposed if the average occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals across Delhi is 500 for a week.

Under the Yellow alert, shops and markets offering non-essential goods and services will be allowed to open on an odd-even basis within the set time period of 10 am to 8 pm. A weekly market with half of the vendors will be permitted to operate in each municipal zone. Construction activities and industrial establishments/manufacturing units will operate as usual.

Read | Let’s hold off vaccinating children and teens against Covid-19; Prioritising adults is our best shot for now

Amber Alert

The next level of alert is Amber which will go out if the positivity rate is over one per cent for two days consecutively, or there are 3,500 new cases recorded in a week. This alert can also be imposed if the average oxygen bed occupancy is over 700 in a week.

As far as restrictions are concerned, it will be the same as Yellow. However, the timings of the shops and markets will be from 10 am to 6 pm.

Orange Alert

This third category will be imposed if the positivity rate increases to two per cent for two days consecutively, or new cases recorded in a week increase to 9,000, or the average oxygen bed occupancy is over 1,000 in a week.

Unlike the previous two categories, Orange will have stricter restrictions. All markets and shops will be shut. Only shops with essential goods will stay open like grocery stores, milk booths and medical stores.

Read | Covid-19 will be reduced to an endemic in future, zero figure unlikely: Experts

Transportation will be restricted. Metro services will be shut and buses will ply with 50 per cent capacity carrying only those engaged in essential services. Private transport like autos, cabs and e-rickshaws will operate with a maximum capacity of two passengers.

Only construction sites providing accommodation to labourers will be allowed, while the rest will be put on halt. Same condition applies to factories producing essential goods.

Red Alert

The category ‘Red’ will have the strictest restrictions. If the positivity rate breaches five per cent in two consecutive days, or the new cases recorded in a week increase to 16,000, or the average number of oxygen beds in hospitals goes to 3,000 or above in a week, this alert will be imposed.

Restrictions will be similar to the Orange alert with stricter rules for public transport.