GUWAHATI, Oct 26: The Assam government has ruled out the possibility of lockdown amidst the marginal increase in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state post Durga Puja.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma further termed rumours about the re-imposition of lockdown in the state as baseless and urged people not to pay heed to such “misinformation”.
“It has come to my notice that some unscrupulous elements are spreading rumours about the re-imposition of lockdown. Such rumours are totally baseless. I urge everyone not to pay heed to such misinformation. Let’s join the government’s efforts on mass and 100 percent vaccination,” Sarma said.
Currently, Assam is reporting between 300 and 400 COVID-19 positive cases every day, mostly from the urban and semi-urban areas while most of the districts are reporting less than 10 cases per day over the past four to five weeks.
Meanwhile, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has issued revised guidelines for containment of COVID-19 in both urban and rural areas in a notification.
Night curfew has been further relaxed by an hour and will now be effective from 11pm to 5am unitil further orders.
According to the revised SOP, business establishments, private offices, shops and commercial establishments can remain open till 10pm while dine-in restaurants, dhabas and etc, can also remain open with 50 percent seating capacity up to 10pm.
On the other hand, the vaccination status in the state has also improved significantly with 95 percent of the total eligible population in the state receiving the first dose. Many districts are nearing saturation while the second dose vaccination rate has also gone up to 31 percent of total eligible population in the state.
“All government servants (including contractual and fixed pay) who have taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine shall attend office. However, all other employees except those in whose case vaccination is contra-indicated as per the guidelines issued by the health department and/or such claim is certified by a registered medical practitioner will have to get themselves vaccinated and attend office,” the order stated.