Mizoram issues new Covid-19 guidelines with more relaxations

Aizawl: The Mizoram government on Friday issued new Covid-19 guidelines with a few more relaxations in the curbs to be enforced in Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) area and other parts of the state.

The new guidelines will come into force from October 31 to November 30, a government order said.

Among new relaxations according to the new guidelines, schools and hostels will now be allowed to re-open fully in AMC area for students of classes 10 and 12, who are appearing for board examinations next year. Schools and hostels hitherto were closed in AMC area. 

In Covid-19 free towns and villages outside AMC area, the government has already allowed the re-opening of schools (for KG to class 12) and anganwadi centres on August 15. Other educational institutions, including colleges, have also been re-opened in COVID-19 free areas outside AMC since September 5.

Places of worship will continue to remain open in all parts of the state. Now worship service is allowed during day and night times with 50 per cent sitting capacity, while morning and evening devotions (prayer) are also permitted, the guidelines said.

However, congregational service in the church is allowed only during the daytime in all parts of the state, it said. Unlike before, this time the guidelines did not specify any specific day on which churches will be opened for congregational services. 

Earlier, congregational services were allowed only on Sundays and Sabbaths (Saturdays) during day time. Singing is strictly prohibited during church services or congregations, the guidelines said.

In areas outside AMC jurisdiction, deputy commissioners will issue separate guidelines depending on the Covid-19 situation of the areas, the government guidelines said.

Villages and towns have been permitted to fully re-open educational institutions under the arrangement with deputy commissioners concerned and in consultation with district level officers of the health department and other departments and village task forces.

Night curfew will continue to be imposed in all district headquarters, including state capital Aizawl, between 9 pm and 4 am.

As per the recommendation of the State Level Expert Team on COVID-19 Management, deputy commissioners will declare micro containment zones and other restrictions within their districts depending upon the local COVID-19 situation and necessity, the guidelines said. 

State reports 592 fresh Covid cases

Mizoram’s COVID-19 count reached 1,20,088 on Friday, as 592 more people, including 155 children, have tested positive for the infection, a health department official said. 

The death toll rose to 427, as three more people have succumbed to the infection. The single-day positive rate was 8.95 per cent as the fresh cases were detected from 6,614 samples tests, the official said. 

At least 1,094 people have recovered from the disease between Thursday and Friday, taking the total recoveries to 1,12,846, he said. The number of active cases now stands at 6,815.

The northeastern state has so far conducted 12.99 sample tests for COVID-19. 
Over 6.97 lakh people have been inoculated till Thursday, with 5.12  lakh of them having received both doses of vaccines, state immunisation officer Dr Lalzawmi said.

Also read: Assam aims to fully vaccinate all eligible by Jan 15: CM Himanta