What Does It Mean?
In his interaction with chief ministers on 27 April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinted at extension of the coronavirus lockdown beyond 3 May, especially in Red and Orange Zones.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Modi said that the danger of COVID-19 is far from over and underlined the importance of “constant vigilance.” He told the CMs that the efforts of the states should be directed towards converting COVID-19 red zones into orange zones, and thereafter into green zones.
But what are these zones exactly? How would you know which zone you are a part of? Here’s all you need to know about the zones in the coronavirus battleground.
What are Red Zones? Are these the same as ‘hotspots’?
Red Zones are areas with major coronavirus outbreaks. Essentially, these districts or places are considered 'hotspots' as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).
A district is classified as a ‘hotspot’ if it:
Contributes to more than 80% of cases in lndia or
Contributes to more than 80% of cases for each state or
Districts with doubling rate in less than 4 days
India's major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad – are all considered Red Zones.
What restrictions are imposed in a red zone?
The entire red zone does not have traffic or movement restrictions. The district administration with the help of surveillance teams marks out containment zones in red zone districts.
Which areas are classified as Orange and green Zone?
Orange zones are those areas and districts that have limited coronavirus cases and have not shown a fresh surge in such cases are classified under Orange Zone. A hotspot district can turn into an 'Orange Zone' if no fresh cases are reported in 14 days.
Green zones will be in the districts where there is no COVID-19 case
When does a district make it to Green Zone from Red Zone?
According to the Health Ministry, if a hotspot district has not reported any positive case in 28 days, it becomes a Green Zone.
For example, if Mumbai does not report a positive case for 14 days, it moves to Orange Zone. From there, if it does not report any positive case for another 14 days, then it becomes a part of Green Zone.
How are containment zones being marked?
The containment zones are marked if more than 4 cases are reported. If these are from one building, the entire building is sealed. Then this building/house is taken as the centre point and a 0.5 km radius is marked geographically and made into a containment zone. A 1-km radius is marked around this zone as buffer zone. Partial movement of people is allowed here.
How do I know which zone my area comes under?
While the broad list of Red, Orange and Green Zone was released by the Centre last on 17 April, it is the state government's classification that can be more useful to you.
Every week, the district magistrate releases the list of areas and the respective zones within their juridsdiction.
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