DTFs TO TAKE CALL ON RELAXING LOCKDOWN CURBS
High Powered Committee (HPC) on Covid-19 on Wednesday decided to further extend the ongoing State-wide lockdown till June 30. Current lockdown was to end on June 18.
Informing this to media persons here on Wednesday, planning & coordination, land revenue and parliamentary affairs minister Neiba Kronu said the decision was taken by the committee at a meeting held here during the day
He said further decisions on whether to further extend or lift the lockdown would be taken only after June 30 on a need basis.
While no new relaxations have been announced, HPC has empowered the District Task Forces (DTFs) to work out relaxations/remedial measures as per the situation in the respective districts, Kronu said.
The government was of the view that though there has been a gradual decline in daily Covd-19 cases, the positivity rate still needed to fall below 5%. The overall positivity rate as on June 16 stood at 9.3%.
Pointing to the steady decline in new cases, Kronu, however, cautioned that it was not yet the time to become complacent.
Although death and infection rates have both come down of late, he observed that these were still quite high and therefore needed to be brought down further and sought a concerted effort from everyone in this regard.
On vaccination, the minister said HPC discussed the issue in threadbare, its importance and stressed on ramping it up as the current rate of vaccination was still low.
On behalf of the State government and chief minister Neiphiu Rio, Kronu also acknowledged the efforts of healthcare and frontline workers in fighting the pandemic.
He said the health & family welfare department has given instructions to chief medical officers (CMO) of all districts to submit list of medical equipment required.
On the fears of third wave of Covid-19 hitting Nagaland, Kronu asserted that the State had to remain prepared, in case the third wave indeed occurred.
Kronu disclosed that more than 60% of healthcare workers and 29% of individuals 45 years and above had been inoculated so far. However, he said only 13% had been vaccinated in the 18-44 years category, which required to be improved.
While the overall Covid-19 situation has improved in the State, he expressed concern over new cases being reported from some districts, especially in rural areas, which was something to be worried about.
He explained that as Dimapur was a sensitive area, the ban on workers coming from outside was still in place.
It may be recalled that the government had imposed a seven-day lockdown from May 14 to contain spread of Covid-19 and subsequently extended it till May 31.
The lockdown was further extended till June 11 and then to June 18. This will be the fought extension of the lockdown in the State.