BHUBANESWAR: Amid rising concern over a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 - Omicron - the State government on Tuesday prohibited zero night celebrations on December 31 and similar functions on January 1. Issuing the Covid-19 guidelines for December, the government also banned picnics and community feasts in public places.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said that congregation in public places including hotels, restaurants, clubs, parks, convention halls and kalyan mandaps for zero night celebration and similar functions on December 31 and January 1 will remain prohibited throughout the State.
People have been advised to celebrate in their homes by avoiding mass gatherings and adhering to Covid-19 protocols such as social distancing, use of face masks and hand sanitisers or hand washing. They can also burst green crackers during the celebrations but on their residential premises and not at public places, the guidelines read.
Night curfew will continue from 10 pm to 5 am in all urban areas and there will be no weekend shutdown. The restrictions on all social/religious/political gatherings will continue and also on exhibitions, trade fairs, expo and melas.
The ceiling on wedding and thread ceremonies remains the same at 250, including the hosts and guests. Only 50 people are allowed during the marriage procession. Expressing concern over the Omicron virus, the SRC emphasised on the need to follow the safety protocols and Covid appropriate behaviour to prevent transmission of the infection in Odisha.