Arunachal extends lockdown in Capital Complex
As community transmission of Covid-19 continue to surge in the state, the Arunachal Pradesh state government has extended its lockdown tenure in the Itanagar Capital Complex region for another two weeks.
The state’s Chief Secretary, Naresh Kumar informed that the lockdown in Arunachal capital has been extended till 5 am of August 3rd.
“The decision to extend the lockdown was taken to contain the local transmission of Covid-19.“, as Naresh Kumar reasoned.
An alarming rise in the number of COVID positive patients in the region had led the government to enforce this decision on the ICR 250 new Covid-19 positive cases were reported in the ICR in the past two weeks.
Naresh Kumar mentioned that 20 state teams headed by a Medical Officer will operate in the capital region for surveillance and contact tracing. These teams will carry out vehement “antigen tests for not only the primary and secondary contacts of COVID positive patients, but also vulnerable sections of the society, and random also.” Informed Naresh Kumar. A large number of antigen tests will be conducted to contain the spread of the disease.
Each team will be appointed in each of the 20 wards in the capital complex region. These teams will also comprise supporting technicians, sanitation staff and data entry operators who will be working in the field in the period of extended lockdown.
Anyone entering the state of Arunachal Pradesh will have to undergo antigen tests at the entry point conducted by the state government. Even though the movement of essential commodities will be allowed in the region, the same rule applies to people working in this sector as well. Only if their test reports yield a negative result, will they be allowed inside the state
“As the ICMR has mentioned that if the antigen test is negative we can freely assume that the person is free from Covid-19. So, only after taking their antigen tests, we will allow their entry into the state of Arunachal Pradesh,” said Naresh Kumar.
Besides the employees working in the essential services, members of the DRO, GREFF, and Paramilitary forces will also have to undergo the antigen tests. They will be allowed to work within the state provided that their test results are negative.
