Only full vaccinated to be allowed in New Year parties in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Dec 29 (IANS) Only those who have taken both the doses of Covid-19 vaccine will be allowed to participate in the New Year celebrations at hotels and other venues in Hyderabad, it was announced on Wednesday.

City Police Commissioner C. V. Anand on Wednesday issued guidelines for the organisers of New Year parties in hotels, clubs and pubs.

The organisers and management have to ensure that nobody is permitted without the production of either an electronic or physical certificate of both doses of vaccination.

The organisers have to apply to the police for a temporary amusement licence to organise the New Year parties. They have to ensure that physical distancing is maintained within the venue.

Thermal scanners should be arranged at the entry point to scan persons entering the venue.

"The organisers shall responsibly ensure that passes/tickets/coupons are not sold/issued/given in excess of the capacity, which violates Covid protocols and social distancing," read the guidelines.

They have also been asked to make sure that no person without a mask is allowed at the venue. A fine of Rs 1,000 will be imposed for not wearing a mask in public spaces.

The organisers and managements have been directed to have in place some additional measures besides the regular Covid guidelines in view of the Omicron threat.

All the staff and organisers present at the venue should be tested negative for Covid-19 in the last 48 hours.

The organisers shall ensure to provide surgical masks to all the persons at the venue and shall provide sanitisers/handrub of prescribed norms and specifications. They shall also ensure that the premises and potentially contaminated areas should be cleaned and disinfected before the start of the programme.

"All the necessary steps should be taken by the organisers to ensure that the attendees/invitees are well aware of relevant information, regulations and restrictions, in vogue, beforehand. Regular announcements/visual display arrangements can be made, to that effect, at the venue," say the guidelines.

Meanwhile, Telangana on Wednesday reported 235 new Covid cases but no deaths during the last 24 hours.

As many as 31 students at a corporate residential college at Narsingi on the outskirts of Hyderabad have tested positive for Covid. While 17 students were found infected on Tuesday, 14 more students tested positive on Wednesday. Authorities said all 300 students at the college were tested for Covid.

According to the director of public health and family welfare, no Omicron cases were reported in the state during the last 24 hours. Five more Omicron cases recovered on Wednesday, taking the cumulative tally of recovered cases to 18.

Ten of the passengers who arrived at Hyderabad Airport from "at risk" countries tested positive for Covid. Their samples were sent for genome sequencing.