GUWAHATI, September 1: Assam government has allowed education institutions to reopen with immediate effect even as it has relaxed restrictions linked to COVID pandemic to a great extent with effect from today.
The night curfew hours have been limited to 9 pm to 5 am throughout that state while restrictions have been lifted in respect of inter-district and intra-district travel through both private and public transports maintaining COVID protocols including mandatory wearing of masks. However, only those adults who have taken at least one dose of COVID vaccine are allowed to undertake inter-district or intra-district travels. Public transport vehicles can take 100% passengers as per their capacity but not a single passenger will be allowed exceeding the seating capacity.
Government employees who have not taken a single dose of COVID vaccine will have to take the jab within September 3.
Education institutions will be reopened from September 6 for the students of post-graduate, under graduate and class 12th standard. Students above 18 years of age will be required to take at least one dose of COVID vaccine. All the staff, teachers of these educational institutions must take COVID vaccines by September 5 next.
Hostels of education institutions will be allowed to reopen but only fully vaccinated students will be allowed to stay in the hostels.
Fully vaccinated air passengers are exempted from COVID testing at airports in the state. However, unvaccinated or passengers having taken only one dose of COVUD vaccine will have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR test in the airport at the subsidized rate of Rs 250 per person.
All the commercial establishments, hotels, restaurants will remain open till 8 pm all over the state.
Only persons having taken at least one dose of COVID vaccine are allowed to visit renowned religious places like Kamakhya Temple, Shiv Doul in Sivasagar, Poa-Mecca in Hajo and Ajanpir Dargah at the rate of 40 persons per hour. In case of other religious places 20 persons per hour will be allowed for visit.
Only 50 per cent attendance by persons having taken at least one dose of COVID vaccine will be allowed to public events inside a closed auditorium with permission from respective Deputy Commissioner’s office.
Meetings, public events held in open spaces with information to the local police station can be attended by maximum 50 persons. However, such events held in open spaces with permission from the deputy commissioner can be attended by maximum 200 persons who have taken at least one dose of COVD vaccine.
(By Bijay Sankar Bora)