E-Paper
Mizoram releases fresh Covid-19 guidelines, more relaxations offered: 10 points
The Mizoram government has allowed social or public gatherings like anniversary or birthday celebrations in Aizawl Municipal Corporation area with either 50 per cent of the seating capacity or 50 attendees, whichever is less.
The Mizoram government has issued new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) guidelines, giving relaxations to economic and other activities. The new guidelines will come into effect on October 3 and will remain in force in the state till October 16.
The fresh guidelines focus on easing economic and other activities in Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) area and other parts of the state.
The order issued on Friday night said that it has been felt necessary to give more focus on providing better treatment to Covid-19 patients than imposing stringent restrictions despite a spurt in infections.
Here are the key points of the guidelines issued by Mizoram government:
• The new order allowed the re-opening of churches in Covid-19 affected AMC area and also in other parts of the state only on Sunday and Sabbath (Saturday) during daytime with 50 per cent seating capacity.
• Churches in Covid-19 free towns and villages outside AMC area have been already re-opened on August 22.
• School and other higher education institutions will continue to remain closed in AMC area. Training institutes will, however, be allowed to re-open with 50 per cent seating capacity in the state capital, the order said.
• Re-opening of public parks is now allowed even in AMC area with 50 participants subjected to permission of local level task force of the locality where such park is located.
• Social or public gatherings like anniversary or birthday celebrations and other gatherings are now allowed in AMC area with either 50 per cent of the seating capacity or 50 attendees, whichever is less, the order said.
• The number of attendees in funerals and weddings in AMC area has been increased from 30 to 50 or 50 per cent of the seating capacity, whichever is less, it added.
• The government has now allowed full re-opening of all business shops, market places, hawker stalls, hotels, restaurants (with 50% seating capacity) and tourist lodges, among others, across AMC area.
• All government offices in the state will now open with full staff, the order said.
• Intra-state movement is allowed under exceptional cases.
• Night curfew will continue to be imposed in all district headquarters between 8pm and 4am.
Covid-19 situation in Mizoram
Mizoram on Saturday reported 1,626 new Covid-19 cases pushing the state's tally to 96,456, the state health department said. The death toll rose to 314 as three more persons succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, an official said.
The state now has 16,361 active Covid-19 cases and its positivity rate is above 20 per cent.
The state has so far conducted more than 11.12 lakh samples tests for Covid-19.
On Thursday, Mizoram recorded 1,741 new cases of Covid-19 infections.
On Tuesday, the number stood at 1,846, Mizoram's highest-ever single-day tally. On September 21, the state had reported its previous highest single-day spike of 1,731 Covid-19 cases.
What's behind Mizoram's high Covid-19 infections?
The small state with just over 1.1 million people (according to the 2011 census) has been recording over 1,000 new cases every day for nearly three weeks. Almost untouched by the first wave last year, it has now seen its infection tally go up rapidly.
The state government conducted some studies to understand the reson behind this increasing trend. Based on their findings, the government claimed that lack of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour (CAB) in a close-knit society where visits to each other’s houses are common, is one of the main reasons for the high prevalence of infection in the state.
Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, state nodal officer and spokesperson, added that strict contact tracing and mass testing have also added to the increase in the number of daily cases.
