No lockdown or night curfew in Kohima, clears Deputy Commissioner

Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 21 (EMN): Amid confusion and speculation among the citizens over possible imposition of lockdown in the state capital, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie, on Wednesday clarified that the district administration would not impose such a stringent measure, night curfew or restriction of vehicular movement, for now.

Speaking to journalists on the preparedness of the state capital and also Kohima district as a whole, the DC said that following the necessary instructions passed to the district task force (DTF) by the state government, it had taken ‘certain measures’ to curb the surge of Covid-19 positive cases in the district.

However, he asserted that the authority would adhere to the revised standard operating procedure issued by the government with regard to the number of people permissible at various social gatherings, which has been reduced to 50% of seating capacity.

“Wherever, there are cases expected to be bigger than the allotted capacity, they are supposed to get the administration’s approval,” he added.

The official maintained that various organisations or groups that have planned their programmes and want to go ahead with their schedule have been applying to the administration and required SOP has been laid to comply accordingly.

Thejawelie, who is also Kohima DTF chairman, said that it would immediately impose mandatory wearing of masks in public places as it has been observed that citizens have become ‘a little more casual’.

He added that in this regard, the district administration had tied up with the wards, sector magistrates, police and others to enforce it.

Random sample test for vulnerable people

Meanwhile, the official informed that the DTF had also decided to conduct random sample testing among the vulnerable section of people in collaboration with the colonies and wards.

“This (random sample test) will let us know our actual status immediately and we will do that in a day or two days’ time,” the DC said.

It was informed that the random sample test would be conducted among the bus drivers, taxi drivers, truck drivers, people on the streets, transport passengers and shopkeepers.

The DC also informed that the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Kohima, N Bhavani Sri, was co-ordinating with the medical team, wards, police and sector magistrates and that discussion was on to carry out the testing at the earliest.

Monitoring of travellers, returnees

Thejawelie informed that the DTF had requested all the colonies and villages to monitor people ‘moving in from outside the state or coming back home’ in order to ensure that they follow the existing SOP with regard to quarantine, isolation or getting tested to know their status and act accordingly.

He said the villages and colonies had started monitoring returnees and exuded confidence that it would be a good tool for checking the spread of Covid-19.

Sensitisation for vaccination

The DC said that the ongoing vaccination was picking up, and they have decided to further sensitise and conduct more awareness programmes through the disaster management authority along with various wards and villages.

Vaccination sites were in place in all the community health centres (CHCs), primary health centres (PHCs) and the latest one at the Health and Wellness Centre (H&WC), which he said would upscale the inoculation drive.

He expressed hope that with the expansion of vaccination sites, more citizens would come forward for inoculation.

The official stated that the DTF discussed and deliberated on the preparedness and availability of Intensive Care Units (ICU) beds and other facilities to treat the serious cases in its last meeting.

He informed that the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) was preparing ICU facilities at the Covid Care Centre in Meriema. He said that they had taken stock of the availability of oxygen, adding there was ‘sufficient stock’.

He further said that the authority would propagate Covid-appropriate behaviour to ensure that everyone follows the SOP.

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