The State government has announced a slew of precautionary steps, restrictions and advisories in sync with the third wave of the Covid-19 and the latest variant, Omicron.
The double-vaccine certificate is a must for access to any place, barring hospitals. The government has also stressed home isolation of Covid patients is another thrust area.
Talking to the media today, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The third wave of Covid-19 with its latest Omicron variant is underway in the state. The department has identified nine Omicron cases in the state and sent the samples of ten others for tests outside Assam.
“In January, the state may exceed the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases, 6,539 registered during the peak period in the second wave. The department treats every Covid-19 case as Omicron and takes measures accordingly. The vaccine is the only weapon that can keep Omicron at bay. It brings down the fatality rate of the virus.
We have laid stress on home isolation. Covid-19 patients who have every possibility of getting cured in home isolation but opt for institutional isolation will have to pay at the government rate. This rule does not apply to serious patients and BPL (Below Poverty Line) patients.
“Each of the patients in home isolation will have to keep a care keeper. The government will supply medicine kits for the patients, besides providing them with telemedicine services. If patients don’t have major problems within seven days of their home isolation, they are Covid-19 negative. If patients in the hospital don’t have major problems within five days, they need to take them as Covid-19 negative.
This is a light variant, and as such hospitalization is less. However, we can’t say what may happen later. We need to stay alert. We have around 9,000 beds ready. There is no dearth of logistic support. A kit for the Omicron test has hit the market. Will float tender for that kit.”
The State government is now taking the following precautionary steps –
n Curfew from 10 pm to 6 am is from Saturday. Commercial establishments will have to down their shutters by 9.30 pm.
n All schools will remain closed up to Class VIII in Guwahati from January 8 to January 30. However, classes will remain closed up to Class V in other districts. Classes of IX-XI will go on in rotation all over the state. Students of XII onward will have no restriction in physical classes.
n The use of masks and social distancing needs strict adherence.
n Covid tests for people taking both vaccine doses arriving in airports and railway stations from outside Assam are not mandatory. However, they will have to undergo a Covid test within a week and report it to the government through 104. They can test with a home kit also. All travellers taking a single dose of the vaccine will have to undergo Covid tests. Under-15 children will also undergo Covid tests at airports and railway stations.
n Restaurants, hotels, malls, government offices, cinema halls, gyms, buses etc., will have access for only those who have taken two vaccine doses from January 15. The authorities concerned are responsible for checking vaccination certificates. If the government finds any violation of this rule, it will slap fines on the authorities concerned.
n After January 15, no government official will have access to the office without taking both vaccine doses. The respective authorities will treat such absence as no-work, no-pay.
n Gyms, cinema halls, restaurants, buses etc., won’t have to exceed their seat capacities. They will have to be strict with the double-vaccine norm.
n As of now, 55 lakh people of the state have not yet taken the second dose of the vaccine. Forty-two lakh of them have crossed the time for the second dose. The remaining around 13 lakh can take the second dose by January 15.
n No one can stay at bhelaghar after 10 pm on Uruka day.
n From January 10, vaccination of the third dose will start for front-line workers. They will have to take the vaccine by February 1, failing which their departments will not make their payslip ready.
n From January 10, all senior citizens can take the third dose of the vaccine in government vaccination centres or private ones if they have taken their second doses on or before April 10, 2021. The Health Department has 80 lakh vaccine doses in stock.
n In Covid care centres, the patients will have to buy food from a common canteen. They can take food from their homes.
n Crowed in marriages or meetings should not exceed 200 or 50 per cent capacity. All participants will have to take both vaccine doses.
n Night buses can ply during the curfew period. Passengers of such buses can buy food from some places, but they cannot have food in those eateries.
n There will be no restriction in inter-district movement.
