SHILLONG, June 18: Health Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said the containment measures will continue across the state till June 21.
He told reporters on Friday that the government has not taken any decision in its review meetings on relaxing the lockdown. The state has been under partial to total lockdown for almost two months now.
“We have left it to the wisdom of the deputy commissioners to take a call on relaxations,” Hek said.
Almost all the shops in Shillong have remained closed because of the lockdown but the vehicular movement has not stopped.
The Health Minister said the department held a meeting with the representatives of private hospitals in the city and decided to constitute a consultative committee that will discuss the exorbitant COVID-19 bills of patients.
The committee will be headed by the Director of Health Services (MI), Aman War and will get back to the government with its recommendations within a week’s time.
On the alleged forced vaccination in the state, Hek said this is a strategy adopted by the DCs to motivate people to come forward to take the jab.
“We are not forcing but requesting people to take the vaccine,” he said, adding that vaccination is a personal and individual choice of the people.
“If people do not want to take the vaccines, it is up to them,” he said.