In further relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, Assam government on Wednesday eased curfew timings, allowed inter-district movement of passenger vehicles and approved resumption of in-person classes for final year students in colleges and schools.
Health minister Keshab Mahanta said the relaxations will come into force from 11 am on Wednesday following the improved Covid-19 scenario in the state.
“The curfew timings, which were from 7 pm to 5 am, will now be from 9 pm to 5 am daily. Offices, shops and business establishments will have to close down at 8 pm, an hour ahead of the curfew,” he said.
All government employees administered at least one dose of vaccine have been asked to attend offices and the remaining have been asked to get the jab within the next three days.
“Pregnant women employees and parents of children below 3 years of age will be allowed to work from home,” Mahanta said.
Inter-district movement of passenger vehicles, restricted since May this year, has been allowed with 100% capacity provided passengers have taken at least one dose of any Covid-19 vaccine, the new guidelines said. The SOPs stated that wearing of face masks will be mandatory for private and passenger vehicles. Pillion riding on two-wheelers has also been allowed.
Mahanta said in-person classes for final year post-graduate, graduate and higher secondary students who have taken at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine were allowed from September 6 and even unvaccinated students under 18 years of age will be allowed to attend final year classes. Not more than 30 students are allowed in each section of a class, the SOP added.
{{/usCountry}}Mahanta said in-person classes for final year post-graduate, graduate and higher secondary students who have taken at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine were allowed from September 6 and even unvaccinated students under 18 years of age will be allowed to attend final year classes. Not more than 30 students are allowed in each section of a class, the SOP added.
{{/usCountry}}Special vaccination drives are being carried out in schools, colleges and universities ahead of September 6. Hostels will open doors only to students who have taken both vaccine doses.
The new SOPs also allow public and private functions in open with the presence of up to 50 persons if the attendees have taken at least one vaccine dose and local police’s permission to hold the event.
However, a gathering of 200 persons, who have been administered at least one vaccine dose, may be allowed only with special permission from district authorities.
For marriages, religious functions and funeral rites, not more than 50 persons, who have taken at least one vaccine dose, will be allowed to gather, the guidelines said.
Not more than 40 persons will be allowed entry into ‘iconic’ religious places per hour and in other religious places, only 20 persons will be allowed per hour. All devotees need to have taken at least one vaccine dose to be allowed entry, the SOP said.
In the past two weeks, Assam has been recording around 500-600 new Covid 19 cases and 10-15 deaths daily on an average. The test positivity rate has remained below 1% for the past few days. At present, there are around 5,500 active cases in the state.