Covid-19: Nagaland announces complete lockdown from May 14

Our Correspondent

Kohima, May 11 (EMN): The government of Nagaland has announced complete lockdown in the entire state for eight days from 6 pm on May 14 to the 21st in an attempt to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The High Power Committee (HPC) took the decision at a meeting held at New Chief Minister’s Residential Complex in Kohima on Tuesday morning.

An update from state’s spokespersons for Covid-19, Neiba Kronu and Mmhonlumo Kikon stated that the existing restrictions will continue till the existing lockdown is in place.

However, essential services including agricultural activities will be exempted from the purview of the restrictions.

Government departments will continue to function with a core team formed by the head of department and ‘construction activities may be permitted but the contractor and firms will be responsible for ensuring adherence to all Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for the workers’.

It informed that during the lockdown period, the department of Health and Family welfare will pursue aggressive testing by utilising the full testing capacity of the Covid-19 laboratories.

It further informed that new SOP will be issued.

The decision of the state government came amid demands from civil society organisations to impose total lockdown in view of steep surge in Covid-19 cases and casualties in the state.