BMC has made COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for those planning, participating in any events or travelling to Maharashtra.
Mumbai: Amid rising case of new variant Omicron especially in Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued fresh guidelines ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations. The new rules have been made keeping a large number of gatherings during this time in mind. BMC has made COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for those planning, participating in any events or travelling to Maharashtra. According to the notice, dated December 13, the mentioned rules will be imposed starting from December 16 till December 31.
BMC rules ahead of Christmas celebrations in Mumbai:
- All persons associated with the organisation of any programme event as well as service providers, and participants, visitors, guests, customers shall fully be vaccinated.
- Any shop, establishment, mall, event, gathering etc must be manned by fully vaccinated persons and all visitors, customers, for such places shall be fully vaccinated.
- All public transport shall be used only by fully vaccinated persons.
- People travelling to Maharashtra shall hold a fully vaccinated certificate or carry a negative RT-PCR test valid for 72 hours.
- In case of gatherings, 50% capacity shall be allowed.
- All religious activities pertaining to the festival shall be allowed in Churches as usual keeping covid protocols in mind
RT-PCR rates at Mumbai International Airport revised
Mumbai airport used to charge Rs 4,500 for every test of Rapid RT PCR, which was reduced to Rs 3,900, and now the test is done by using Abbot ID and Thermo fisher capped at Rs 1,975 per test, while the one using Tata MD 3 Gene Fast capped at Rs 975 for tests done at airport or railway stations, bus stops, hospitals, quarantine clinics, fever clinics, labs (where consumables will be borne by laboratories.)
Last year, for Christmas (2020) and New Year Eve (2021), there were strict restrictions imposed as a precaution though the first Covid wave was on the wane.
There is no doubt that the latest diktat will dampen the New Year Eve spirit, especially, in posh restaurants and luxury hotels, which usually host big-ticket mega-parties with Indian and foreign celebs joining the bash, besides exclusive private bashes at the homes or farmhouses of Bollywood or business bigwigs in and around Mumbai.
