The Assam health department has told deputy commissioners that additional activities during the lockdown, as proposed by the government from Tuesday, will not be applicable in hotspots and containment zones.

The general administration department on Saturday issued a notification saying the government offices will be opened from Tuesday with limited staff and by maintaining social distancing norms.

Following the notification, the state health department told the deputy commissioners that the notification will not be applicable in containment zones and hotspots.

A senior health official said containment zones have been declared in each locality where Covid-19 positive cases have been detected.

He said a set of rules had been prescribed for the containment zones which are viewed as most important to stop the spread of novel coronavirus.

Similarly, a number of clusters in five Assam districts — Golaghat, Morigaon, Dhubri, Nagaon and Goalpara — have been identified as hotspots.

Regarding the containment zones, the health department has also laid out a set of instructions to the deputy commissioners. It asked the deputy commissioners to ensure that no unchecked inward or outward movement of population, except for maintaining essential services (including medical emergency and law-and-order-related duties) and government business continuity, will be allowed in these zones.

“Vehicular movement, movement of public transport and personnel movement will be restricted in these zones. The district administration will have to post signs and create awareness informing public about the perimeter control. Health workers posted at the exit point will perform screening,” said the health department notification.

It also said that all roads, including rural roads connecting the containment zone, will be guarded by the police. For personnel and vehicles requiring movement, a pass or identity card may be issued by the district administration with details recorded and communicated.

“Details of all persons moving out of the perimeter zone for essential or emergency services will be recorded and they will be followed up through integrated disease surveillance programme. All vehicles moving out of the perimeter control will be decontaminated with sodium hypochlorite solution,” the notification said.