OUR REPORTER AIZAWL, AUG 8
Schools to be opened in Covid-19 free areas
Mizoram has unlocked total lockdown by a partial lockdown in Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) area to ease certain activities, especially economic, despite the rising Covid-19 cases in the state.
The partial lockdown came into effect on Sunday and will remain in force till mid-night on August 14, the government order issued on Saturday said.
In areas other than AMC, Deputy Commissioners will issue separate guidelines depending on the Covid-19 situation of their respective areas, it said.
The order said that it is felt necessary to continue with certain restrictions in the way of partial lockdown in view of the rising Covid-19 cases in AMC area in order to prevent Covid-19 from further spreading and to ensure that the government containment measures are not interrupted.
Movement of people outside or streets and casual visit of neighbours or relatives within the same complex or distant areas within AMC except under exception case is strictly prohibited during the partial lockdown, the new order said.
Schools will be allowed to open in other parts of the state where there is zero Covid-19 case based on the arrangement to be made by Deputy Commissioners and Village task forces and such school schools should strictly adhere to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the school education department, it said.
Travelling or intra-state movement is also allowed under very essential case, it said. As for AMC area, places of worship or religious congregation, education institutions, picnic spots, public parks, gymnasium or spa, sports practice (indoor and outdoor), tournament and trekking or hiking will remain closed or suspended.
Construction works both under government and private, working at fields or garden and essential services like water and electricity supply, medical service, hospital, dispensaries, pharmacies, vaccination, LPG distribution, filing stations, among others, will also function normally in AMC area, it said. Government offices in AMC are allowed to open with 50 per cent of workers and church-run or private company offices will also be opened under strict Covid-19 protocols, it said.
Shops dealing in essential commodities, eateries and vegetable seeds or materials will open every day (between 5 am and 9 am for essential commodities/eateries), while shops dealing in other goods will be divided into three categories and they will be allowed to open on specific days based on their categorisation, the order said.
Mizoram on Sunday reported 709 Covid-19 cases, pushing the state’s tally to 44,239.
At least 167 people have succumbed to the infection so far. The number of active cases now stands at 12,253, while 31,819 people have recovered from the infection. 426 people were discharged from various Covid-19 care facilities on Sunday.
The state has tested more than 6.80 lakh samples for Covid-19 till date.
According to state immunisation officer Dr. Lalzawmi, over 6.39 lakh people have been inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine till Saturday of which 2 lakh have received both doses of the vaccine.
(Source: The Mizoram Post Vol 19 Issue 74 Aizawl Monday 09 August http://www.themizorampost.net/page-view?date=09-08-2021&page_no=1)