New Delhi, February 26:  The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an Order today to extend the existing Guidelines for Surveillance, Containment and Caution to remain in force upto 31.03.2021.

While there has been a substantial decline in the active and new COVID-19 cases, there is need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution so as to fully overcome the pandemic.

States/ Union Territories have also been advised to speed up the vaccination of the target population so as to break the chain of transmission and overcome the pandemic. Centre Sends Expert Teams to 10 States Reporting Surge in COVID-19 Cases.

Accordingly, Containment Zones continue to be demarcated carefully; prescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones; COVID-appropriate behaviour promoted and strictly enforced; and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect of various permitted activities followed scrupulously.

Therefore, the focussed approach on surveillance, containment and strict observance of the guidelines/ SOPs, as envisaged in the Guidelines issued on 27.01.2021; need to be enforced strictly by States and Union Territories.