Nagaland government has taken up measures to ensure that COVID-19 guidelines and SOPs are followed during the festive seasons.
In Nagaland, December 1 marks the beginning of the festive season with the inauguration of Hornbill Festival and advent Christmas parties, roadshows, night carnivals, among others.
In this regard, a meeting of the State Level War Room on COVID-19 under the chairmanship of the chief secretary was held on Saturday in Kohima to review the COVID-19 situation in the state. The Health and Family Welfare department gave an overview of the situation, and it was felt that there is a need to take additional measures for ensuring adherence to the SOPs issued by the state government from time to time by all concerned, particularly in view of the festive season approaching and the likelihood of increase in the number of large public gatherings and travels by people across the state.
It was further deliberated, and instructions to all the District Task Forces (DTFs) have been issued for forming teams to inspect the public gatherings wherein attendance is beyond 50 per cent capacity and up to 100 per cent, and to check that all the participants are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or have taken the first dose of vaccination against COVID-19, and at least 15 days have passed since taking the dose, and are adhering to COVID-19 appropriate behavior, particularly wearing of masks as laid down in the order issued by NSDMA on September 30. "If any violation is found, then immediate action against the organisers and participants are to be taken under the relevant laws," the meeting noted.
Similarly, the teams formed by the DTFs are to inspect the passenger vehicles, in particular, those entering the district at the check posts, to check that the passenger(s) are complying with the vaccination/testing conditions, i.e., either fully vaccinated or taken First dose and 15 days have passed since then, and if these two conditions are not fulfilled, then the passenger(s) are carrying a COVID-19 negative test report taken through either RT-PCR/TrueNat or CBNAAT with the swab taken for testing not earlier than 72 hours from the date of travel, as laid down in the order issued by NSDMA on October 28.
"If any violation is noted, immediate action against the passenger(s) are to be taken under the relevant laws. At the district check gates, only the passenger(s) having requisite documentary evidence may be allowed entry," the meeting also said.
The teams formed are to also ensure that all person(s) in public places are also wearing masks. Action is to be taken against those found not wearing face masks and a penalty of Rs 200/- (Rupees Two Hundred Only) is to be imposed every time the offence is committed as laid down in the order issued by NSDMA on September 8.
All the DTFs have been further directed to submit daily reports to the NSDMA, the Home Department on the action taken against those violating the vaccination/testing conditions, not wearing masks, violating COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour.
