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Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 16 (EMN): The government of Nagaland on Wednesday extended lockdown in the state till June 30 and the district task forces (DTFs) will decide on relaxation after considering the Covid situation in their respective jurisdictions.
This is the fourth time the lockdown has been stretched since it began on May 14 amid surging Covid-19 cases in the state and the ongoing restriction is supposed to expire on June 18.
Nagaland government's spokesperson on Covid-19, Mmhonlumo Kikon, who is also the advisor of IT, Science and Technology and NRE, announced in an update that the decision to extend the lockdown was taken at the High Power Committee (HPC) meeting held today.
"Situation is improving but we are still not out of the woods. Positivity rate is declining but still requires to be below 5% and we need to vaccinate more than 50% of the population," he tweeted.
"We acknowledge the inconvenience faced by the people but given the circumstances we have to continue with the lockdown for now," he added.
He went on to inform that respective District Task Force (DTF) will work out the relaxation or restrictions required as per the local situation.
We can’t be complacent — Kronu
The minister of Planning and Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu, also maintained that ‘we cannot be complacent’ despite the improvement of the situation in the state until the positivity rate comes below 5%.
While acknowledging the contributions made by the healthcare and frontline workers, he stressed on the need to ramp up vaccination in the state.
Kronu pointed out that the state will have to be ready with all medical equipment in order to be prepared for any eventuality, a possible third wave, and that the High Power Committee (HPC) had a ‘serious discussion’ on it.
He updated that vaccination among the healthcare workers was quite good, crossing 60%; frontline workers vaccination percentage was more than 75%; 45 years and above- 29%, which he said needed to be improved; while vaccination percentage of 18-44 age group was about 13%.
Further, the minister stated that the lockdown had to continue even as the positivity rate is decreasing in the towns, as cases were increasing in the outer districts and in rural areas, which he said is a ‘big concern for all of us’.
He also pointed out that the government was concerned for the daily wage earners, and in this regard the Nagaland State Disaster Authority (NSDMA) had started giving relief materials. He added that with relaxation in line for agricultural and construction activities, ‘those people can also earn’.
It may be mentioned that the government of Nagaland imposed total lockdown from May 14 to the 21st to arrest the surging Covid cases in the state, before it was extended to May 31, to June and then to June 18.
Nagaland has 2,972 active Covid cases as on June 15. As many as 101 fresh infections and three casualties were reported on Tuesday.
The state has recorded 23,854 Covid cases and 445 deaths so far (as on June 15).