New Delhi/ Kolkata/ Chandigarh: To contain the third wave, several states have announced semi lockdown, night curfew and weekend curfew to tackle the Covid pandemic.

With the Omicron variant is fast spreading in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru, several states have announced semi lockdown and restrictions in public places.

Delhi has announced a weekend curfew and work from home for government employees. However Delhi Metro is operating at full capacity.

Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will take a call on to impose fresh restrictions because the positivity rate in Delhi has raised to five percent since two days.

DDMA has suggested Delhi government impose a weekend curfew on Sunday and Saturday, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Health ministry sources maintained that Delhi may see 20,000 to 25,000 cases daily by January 8. Cinemas, gyms are shut and shops have been allowed on an odd-even basis. Metro trains and buses can only operate at half the capacity.  

In Punjab, schools and colleges will remain closed and a night curfew will be imposed to tackle the Omicron variant.

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has announced fresh restrictions to tackle the coronavirus.

Night curfew will be in force from 10 pm to 5 am daily. Bars, cinemas halls, multiplexes, malls, restaurants, spas, museums and zoos may operate at 50% capacity provided all staff members are fully vaccinated, the new order states.

The new set of restrictions will be in force till January 15, Chief Minister Channi ordered.

West Bengal government has already imposed certain Covid restrictions, including the closure of schools and colleges across the state following a steep increase in Omicron variant coronavirus cases.

Government has also caped attendance at private and government offices at 50 percent. The government has also imposed a night curfew, only essential services are allowed to operate during night curfew.

From Monday onwards, schools and colleges will remain closed until further order. The government has also closed swimming pools, gyms, spas and beauty salons across the state.

"Government and private offices can work at 50 percent capacity, with all administrative meetings to be conducted virtually," Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi said in a release.

In Maharashtra and Karnataka, the third wave is approaching, both governments had decided to impose stringent restrictions including semi lockdown and weekend curfew in their respective states.

Karnataka Chief Minister will convene a meeting of the Covid technical committee on Tuesday evening. Government is likely to impose weekend curfew across the state.