GUWAHATI: State government employees in Nagaland must get vaccinated with the first dose and procure a Covid negative report every 15 days to be eligible for their salaries.
Nagaland chief secretary J Alam in an order on Saturday said that the salary of those employees, who fail to abide by the directive, will be stopped from July 31. Considering the flow of vaccines, which remain erratic in the northeast, about 37% of the adult population in Nagaland has been inoculated with the first dose so far.
The decision has been taken in pursuance of the decision taken by the high-powered committee on Covid -19 in its meeting on Friday and needs to be followed by all government employees in the Nagaland Civil Secretariat and directorates. "All employees and staff in the Nagaland Civil Secretariat and Directorates will be required to be vaccinated to attend office, or to produce COVID-19 negative test report by getting tested every 15 days through either RT-PCR/TrueNat/CBNAAT on self payment basis as per Government approved rates," read the order. It further stated that if an employee is barred from attending office, the period of absence will be treated as leave without pay.
State immunization officer, Dr Ritu Thur, told TOI that the government is not maintaining a separate vaccination data of government employees as all eligible citizens are being inoculated. In the 45+ category, 37.4% got their first dose, while 15% got their second dose. In the case of the 18+ age group, he said, 37.6% received the first jab but none got the second dose in the younger category.
‘Vax eagerness among youngsters in Nagaland’
For 18 years and above, vaccination was rolled out on May 17. Ours is Covishield and it will take some more time for this category to become eligible for the second dose,” he said.
Thur, however, said that people in Nagaland are being vaccinated with the first dose and there is vaccine eagerness among the young people. “Employees need only the first dose to continue attending office and we are ready to inoculate the government staff with priority if they come forward,” he added.
The chief secretary has further directed for the extension of the lockdown measures with effect from Sunday for 15 more days up to August 1 in the state, but with further relaxations and re-opening of activities. Colleges are allowed to reopen from July 26, subject to all the teachers and non-teaching staff having been fully vaccinated (taken both the doses) or having taken the first dose and at least 15 days have passed since taking the first dose. Schools have also been allowed to reopen for Class XI and XII from August 2, provided all the teachers and non-teaching staff have followed the same conditions laid down in case of colleges. With the same conditions, opening of restaurants for dine-in with up to 50% capacity are permitted, subject to all the attendants and staff having followed the norms like teachers and non-teaching staff.
