Relaxation of Covid curbs: Schools to reopen on Feb 14, RT-PCR test on double vaccinated, night curfew lifted

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 9, 2022

In a further relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, the Meghalaya government on Wednesday announced that schools will reopen from February 14 even as double vaccinated people will not require undergoing RT-PCR test before entering the state.

A call in this regard was taken in view of a decline in new Covid-19 cases.

After reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the state, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “Schools especially in Shillong will be fully functional from Monday onwards.”

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He also informed that the government has decided to lift the condition for testing of double vaccinated individuals and night curfews from February 11.

“Those who are double vaccinated will not require the RT-PCR test anymore. If you are double vaccinated, you can enter the state,” Sangma said.

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He further informed that no permission will be required for funerals but Covid protocols including restrictions on the numbers of people, have to be followed

Regarding public meetings, gatherings and weddings, he said permissions are being granted but permission from the respective deputy commissioners and sub divisional officers will be required. He added that only double vaccinated people will be allowed to enter bars, restaurants and movie theatres and that odd-even system for vehicles would continue in Shillong.

When asked, the chief minister said that the decisions have been taken after seeing the numbers of positive cases going down.

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“We have seen that the impact of this wave has not been so much in terms of the numbers that we have lost. We have also seen that the lives we have lost are not directly Covid related though they are Covid positive but they have other serious conditions. Therefore, keeping all these factors in mind and based on facts and figures, we are seeing a trend where the numbers are reducing, the positivity rates are going down, the numbers of deaths is far lesser than what it was earlier and therefore while we try to balance between the safety and health of the people and the economic condition activities, we strongly feel that normalcy must return,” he added.

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Urging the citizens not to let their guards down and to strictly follow protocols, the chief minister said, “We cannot let our guards down fully but we will take precautions but I think we need to ease the overall restrictions so that normalcy can return to the state but I still urge our citizens that we must continue to follow the protocols and we must always keep ourselves safe.”