The Assam Government has issued a fresh set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the State. According to the State’s Health and Family Welfare Department, 29 people died on Monday and the positivity rate was 8.02%.
Night curfew
The new of SOPs issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said all shops and business establishments should close by 2 p.m. from Wednesday until further notice. Night curfew will also be enforced from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.
An earlier SOP had sought closure of shops and business establishments by 6 p.m. with night curfew from 8 p.m.
Other restrictions include only the religious part of marriages in presence of 20 people at most, a maximum of five people at a time in religious places, 20 or fewer people for last rites, 50% employees except for officers in government and private offices, and 50% passengers in public vehicles.
The Assam government also announced that journalists in the State would be regarded as front-line workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Journalists under 45 years of age have accordingly been made eligible for a symbolic launch of the COVID-19 vaccination on Wednesday. The eligible will get vaccinated at the Gauhati Press Club, the State’s Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He also said the State has received a fresh batch of 1.5 lakh doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech.
