SHILLONG, Jan 3: In view of the surge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 throughout the country, the Meghalaya government on Monday decided to re-impose restrictions on holding of public gatherings, re-enforcing night curfew and regulation on movement of private vehicles from January 5.
Talking to reporters after a review meeting on the COVID-19 situation in the state, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma said, “We have decided to re-impose restrictions on public gatherings. We are going to allow only gatherings for certain purposes with very restricted numbers.”
According to him, gathering is one of the main reasons for the spread of the virus.
Pointing out that at the moment there is not even a single case of Omicron in the state, he said that the state government is of the view that it is the right time to put some restrictions without hitting the public economy.
“We will have an odd-even number system for private vehicles in Shillong city and most parts of East Khasi Hills from January 5,” Sangma said.
Apart from the double vaccination, he said people from outside who are entering the state would require to produce an RT-PCR negative test report conducted within 72 hours and if not, they would need be tested at the entry point to Meghalaya.
The CM further informed that night curfew will be re-imposed from 10pm till 5am in Shillong city and in all the other districts.
“There will be few more restrictions with proper modifications. The respective Deputy Commissioners will come up with the necessary order in this connection,” he said.
Meanwhile, a notification issued by Chief Secretary, RV Suchiang prohibited all types of official, public and political gatherings in the state with effect from January 5.
Weddings will be permitted with maximum of 100 persons in attendance while a maximum of 50 persons will be allowed for funerals.
All private vehicles will ply on an odd-even basis. There will be no restrictions on plying of vehicles on Sundays.
In another order, the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner has reinforced mask-wearing protocols with immediate effect. The order advised citizens to wear three ply surgical or N-95 masks. Double masks have been recommended for all.
Earlier, the CM observed that the new COVID-19 Omicron variant is spreading very fast throughout the country.
“As far as the Northeastern states are concerned, only one state (Manipur) has got a case of the Omicron variant. But the speed at which it is transmitting is very alarming even though the reports coming from across the globe are showing that the hospitalisaton and death rate is far lesser as compared to the delta variant,” the CM said.
Stating that the positivity and the overall transmit rate of the new variant is very high, he said that it is only a matter of time before the Omicron variant hits Meghalaya. “We had been pushed by the Delta variant and the second wave. We are better prepared now as compared to the second wave. We still feel that it is important for both the citizens and the government to take precautions,” Sangma said.
The CM assured that the government will ensure that economic activities are affected to the bare minimum.
According to him, there is a need to take measures to keep the numbers of cases as low as possible.
“If four to six lakhs population is affected then it becomes a problem. If one percent of the population is hospitalized even then the number if very huge,” Sangma said.
He urged the citizens to strictly follow the COVID-19 behaviour and protocols. “If we are able to control things in the next few weeks then we will be in a better position as compared to other parts of the country and the world,” he added.