On whether the state government would follow the Assam government’s model of imposing a curfew on unvaccinated people to contain the spread of the virus, Tynsong said that the state government’s strategy is to launch aggressive vaccination drives at the block and village level.
SHILLONG:
Deputy chief minister, Prestone Tynsong, on January 18, said that the COVID-19 situation in the state is not good.
“The government cannot combat the Covid-19 situation alone and it is the responsibility of each citizen of the state to ensure that the transmission rate of the coronavirus and the Omicron variant is kept under control. Therefore, I appeal to our people to follow the SOPs prescribed by the health department, as they update the same,” he said, adding that the doctors and team of government machinery alone cannot contain the spread of the Omicron variant.
Taking a jibe at Congress for alleging that the government has abandoned its stance towards the virus, and the people are fighting against the pandemic alone, Tynsong said that given the high transmission rate of Covid-19 and the Omicron variant, giving up is not an option. “We need to understand that it is our collective responsibility to isolate and maintain quarantine, if symptomatic,” he said.
On whether the state government would follow the Assam government’s model of imposing a curfew on unvaccinated people to contain the spread of the virus, Tynsong said that the state government’s strategy is to launch aggressive vaccination drives at the block and village level.
He further said that all officers and departments have been deputed to educate the people in the villages on the importance of the vaccine, how to control the spread of the virus and its recent variant.
Considering that health is a state subject, the testing at the Umling entry point has been made mandatory by the government.
“Had there been no coronavirus, we would not have the testing centres there. We have spent a lot of manpower and time at Umling. We want to ensure that people of the state and those coming to the state are safe and don’t add to the already high transmission rate. If people can bring an RT PCR test within 72 hours, they don’t need to get tested. It is not about money,” the deputy chief minister informed.
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