COVID-19: Odisha govt issues guidelines for Christmas and New Year celebrations

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 24 (ANI): In view of the current COVID-19 situation and due to the presence of its new variant "Omicron", the Odisha Government has restricted the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The restrictions will be effective from December 25 to January 2.
As per the notification, "Christmas celebration shall be limited to churches with a maximum of 50 persons joining the mass by strictly following COVID-19 protocols and in terms of specific conditions as imposed by District Magistrates/ Municipal Commissioners/ Local Authorities while permitting such mass, if any."
"Zero Night celebration, Welcome to New Year in hotels, clubs, restaurants, parks, convention halls, Kalyan Mandaps, etc. is completely banned across the State," the order read.
The official communique further said, "No celebration other than marriage (but not receptions and ancillary functions) is allowed across the State."
There shall be strict vigilance on crowding and gathering during the above occasions, No community feast is also allowed, No social gathering, rallies, orchestras, dances, and other cultural programmes shall be permitted, as per the directives of the Odisha government.
This comes days after two new Omicron cases were detected in Odisha on Thursday.
"However, the patients are asymptomatic," said Dr Niranjan Mishra, Director of Public Health, Odisha.
Speaking to the reporters here on Thursday, Mishra said, "Previously we had detected two Omicron cases, and today we have detected two more cases. There are two children of age 11 and 15 years. Both the children came with their parents from Nigeria. Their contacts have been traced and they have tested negative. The children are asymptomatic."
A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'. (ANI)