Editor's Pick: States can ease COVID curbs: Centre

In light of a declining trend in COVID cases since January end, the Centre on Wednesday informed the States that they may review, amend or end additional COVID-19 restrictions. In a letter to the States, the Health Ministry said the daily case positivity on February 15 had declined to 3.63%. The average daily cases in the last week stood at 50,476 from the peak of 3.11 lakh infections on January 25 this year. “With the changing epidemiology of COVID-19 pandemic globally and in India, existing guidelines aimed at minimising the transmission of viruses have been reviewed and updated. The Union Ministry of Health has accordingly revised its guidelines for international arrival on 10 thFebruary, 2022,” the ministry said. It noted that in earlier months, in view of the high case trajectory, certain States had imposed additional restrictions on their borders and airports. “While effectively managing the public health challenge of COVID-19, it is equally important that movement of people should not be hampered by additional restrictions imposed at State-level points of entries,” the ministry said. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya noted that it was too early to say anything definite on the COVID-19 pandemic becoming endemic. The Centre was maintaining a strict vigil on the spread of the infection, he said. The news is heartwarming and is on the front of the newspaper for, economic hardships are not only debilitating but cripple the economy. But as an editorial in the newspaper reminded us recently, just about half the world has been fully vaccinated and COVID-19 doesn’t respect boundaries. Vaccine inequity has to be addressed. Science has been deferential to the future trajectory of the coronavirus. COVID-appropriate behaviour, vaccines and accessible healthcare remain the only credible defences against the spread of the virus. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. Click here The Hindu’s Editorials Tenuous tack: On RBI’s policy stance Signs of peace: On Russian pullback from Ukraine border Try out The Hindu’s daily news quiz ‘Darkathon-2022’ is connected with what? Asian Games Drugs Commonwealth Games None of the above To find out the answer and play the full quiz, click here [logo] Editor's Pick 17 FEBRUARY 2022 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( States can ease COVID curbs: Centre In light of a declining trend in COVID cases since January end, the Centre on Wednesday informed the States that they may [review, amend or end additional COVID-19 restrictions](. In a letter to the States, the Health Ministry said the daily case positivity on February 15 had declined to 3.63%. The average daily cases in the last week stood at 50,476 from the peak of 3.11 lakh infections on January 25 this year.  “With the changing epidemiology of COVID-19 pandemic globally and in India, existing guidelines aimed at minimising the transmission of viruses have been reviewed and updated. The Union Ministry of Health has accordingly revised its guidelines for international arrival on 10 thFebruary, 2022,” the ministry said. It noted that in earlier months, in view of the high case trajectory, certain States had imposed additional restrictions on their borders and airports. “While effectively managing the public health challenge of COVID-19, it is equally important that movement of people should not be hampered by additional restrictions imposed at State-level points of entries,” the ministry said. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya noted that it was too early to say anything definite on the COVID-19 pandemic becoming endemic. The Centre was maintaining a strict vigil on the spread of the infection, he said. The news is heartwarming and is on the front of the newspaper for, economic hardships are not only debilitating but cripple the economy. But as an [editorial in the newspaper]( reminded us recently, just about half the world has been fully vaccinated and COVID-19 doesn’t respect boundaries. Vaccine inequity has to be addressed. Science has been deferential to the future trajectory of the coronavirus. COVID-appropriate behaviour, vaccines and accessible healthcare remain the only credible defences against the spread of the virus. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more.  [Click here]( The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Tenuous tack: On RBI’s policy stance]( [Arrow][Signs of peace: On Russian pullback from Ukraine border]( Try out The Hindu’s daily news quiz ‘Darkathon-2022’ is connected with what? - Asian Games - Drugs - Commonwealth Games - None of the above To find out the answer and play the full quiz, [click here]( Today’s Best Reads [[China says Quad, AUKUS are ‘cliques’ in U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy] China says Quad, AUKUS are ‘cliques’ in U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy]( [[Helmet must for children under four] Helmet must for children under four]( [[First woman reported cured of HIV after stem cell transplant] First woman reported cured of HIV after stem cell transplant]( [[Traditional Kathakali koppu artisans are now crafting souvenirs] Traditional Kathakali koppu artisans are now crafting souvenirs]( Copyright @ 2022, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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