The new regime starts this week itself, with Thursday and Saturday fixed as the two total lockdown days. Next Wednesday (July 29) is going to be one of next week\u2019s two total lockdown days; the government will announce next week\u2019s second such day next Monday (July 27). <\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nA meeting chaired by Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrived at this decision, prompted by expert opinion that stressed the need to \u201cbreak the chain of infection\u201d. About 60% of Bengal\u2019s positive Covid-19 cases till date are infections that have occurred in July. The state again saw a record spike in the number of infections (2,282) on Monday and logged 35 deaths, only one less than the daily highest of 36 till date. The last statewide total lockdown day that Bengal saw was on May 31.
The bi-weekly statewide total lockdown, however, will not be applicable to banks as the state government \u2014 in a separate advisory \u2014 has told them not to work on Saturdays and Sundays.
The advisory said banks should work on a five-day-week schedule, with customer services on working days from 10am to 2pm.
State home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said on Monday that the new total lockdown system would be in addition to the containment-zone approach for affected areas that would continue till July 31. A meeting will take place every Monday to decide on the weekly lockdown schedule.
\u201cThere will be a complete halt in the manner of a complete lockdown,\u201d Bandyopadhyay said, explaining that \u201csudden breaks in the form of bi-weekly lockdowns\u201d would yield \u201cgood results\u201d.
\u201cThe meeting was presided over by the chief minister and attended by experts, bureaucrats, law-enforcement and other agencies,\u201d he said, adding that the August lockdown dates would be decided next Monday and would depend on a \u201cevolving dynamic feedback\u201d.
Bengal Covid expert committee member and senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said the return to total bi-weekly lockdowns was an effort to keep people indoors and safe. \u201cThis is a trial-and-error method. But we believe this will be able to break the chain and bring down the infection curve,\u201d he said.
The Global Advisory Board for Covid in Bengal, chaired by Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, had advised that a long-term total lockdown would be \u201cunsustainable\u201d.
Essential services, including health, electricity, water, conservancy, telecom, internet, post offices, fuel stations, cooking gas, medicines and optical shops, will be available on the total lockdown days. Transportation of food items, e-commerce (of groceries and food items) and home delivery of food, too, will be allowed (unless a new government notification specifies otherwise).
The state home secretary also said the state was ramping up its Covid health infrastructure with more facilities, safe homes, ambulances and enhanced oxygen availability. \u201c4%-5% of patients are serious and 7%-8% patients are moderate and require hospitalisation. About 87%-88% patients are asymptomatic and may need home isolation or safe homes unless doctors feel they need to be hospitalised,\u201d Bandyopadhyay said. <\/div>\n