Revised Strategy: Focus on behavioural changes

New Delhi: Strict surveillance of home isolation cases, aggressive contact tracing, creation of containment zones at the micro-level and efforts for human behavioural changes through extensive campaigns will be part of Delhi's revised COVID-19 management strategy discussed by the DDMA on Tuesday, sources said.

Cinema halls, theatres and swimming pools will remain closed as no decision could be taken in a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal. Authorities are also yet to take a decision on Ramlila celebrations.

In the meeting, it was also decided that considering the gravity of the pandemic, focused attention should be on containing transmission, strengthening medical infrastructure, improving the recovery of patients and reducing COVID-19 fatalities.

Last month, Baijal had asked a six-member expert panel to come up with suggestions to deal with the current COVID-19 situation and ramp up health facilities in the national capital.

"In the DDMA meeting, the panel submitted several suggestions which include strict surveillance of home isolation cases, creation of containment zones at the micro-level and aggressive contact tracing.

"The panel also felt that there is a need for human behavioural changes which can be made through extensive campaigns," a source said.

The source said that as the national capital has been witnessing a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, the

current COVID-19 management strategy cannot be entirely changed.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot, NITI Aayog Member V K Paul, AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria and others attended the DDMA meeting.