The Covid-19 containment measures are in force in Jammu and Kashmir like night curfew and no on-site classes at educational institutions will continue for the coming week as well, officials said after a review of the pandemic situation.

The review of the Covid situation was conducted under the chairmanship of chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on August 13.

In an order on August 15, Mehta said that there was a need to continue with the existing Covid containment measures in all the districts “in view of the uneven trend in daily Covid cases”.

“The maximum number of people permitted to attend any indoor or outdoor gathering shall be restricted to 25,” said Mehta who is also chairman of the state executive committee (SEC).

The government on Sunday had temporarily relaxed the 25-person ceiling on indoor or outdoor gatherings for August 15 to allow Independence Day celebrations.

The order said that there shall be no weekend curfew in any district.

“The night curfew shall continue to remain in force in all the districts from 8 pm to 7 am,” it said.

The daily Covid cases in J&K continue to remain low and have mostly remained below 150 cases per day this month.

Jammu and Kashmir administration on July 25 had lifted the weekend curfew from all the districts of the Union Territory as the Covid cases continue to remain low.

The order stated that while all the schools, colleges and coaching centres will continue to remain closed for on-site and in-person teaching, the educational institutions are permitted to seek attendance of vaccinated staff for administrative purposes.

“Further, all heads of higher educational institutions (ie all institutions with students above the age of 18 years ) shall in a fortnight assess dose-wise vaccination status of the students and the staff of their respective institutions enabling the SEC to take a considered view on the re-opening of these institutions for on-site learning,” the order said.

The deputy commissioners have been asked to focus on the positivity rate in their respective medical blocks and intensify management and restrictions of activities.

“There shall be renewed focus on Panchayat level mapping of cases and effective micro-containment zones shall be constituted wherever unusual spikes of cases are noticed,” it said.

The officials have been asked to also focus on second dose vaccination.

“Intensive vaccination drives shall be taken up in all districts to ensure timely administration of second dose besides maximizing first dose to vulnerable groups,” the order stated.