Govt hopes to flatten the COVID-19 curve in the next 10 days: CM
The ten-day containment for Shillong, Jowai, Tura and Ri Bhoi will start from Saturday to reduce the spread of the second wave of COVID-19 infection in the state.
“We are going for aggressive restrictions (during the containment period),” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters on Friday.
He said that the government’s plan is not to completely go for a total lockdown keeping in mind that the people need their normal basics adding there will be certain things that will not be allowed at all and certain areas where the basics will be allowed.
Stating that the ten-day containment is very crucial for the government, Sangma said, “If we are able to flatten the curve in the next ten days, then we will be able to overall manage the spike in the cases also in case it comes up.”
“A lot will also depend on the people and the way they act…so there will be a limit to which the administration will be able to push but we appeal to the citizens of the state that please bear with us in the next ten days as it is very crucial,” he added.
Stating that the vaccination drive is going on in the state, Sangma said that the government hopes to be able to cover people who are 45 years and above in the next 10 days.
“The response has been tremendous from the people. In Tura, we have almost saturated the 45 age group, we have touched 95 percent and in Shillong, we have crossed 60 percent and similarly, we are touching 45 percent throughout the state,” he informed.
According to him, initially there was resistance from the people because they were not very comfortable then and also there were lesser vaccination centres.
“But after a week or so as a government the machinery picks up and we really stress and focus on it and from a mere 2000 – 3000 shots per day today we are administrating 15,000 plus shots a day,” he said.
The chief minister further informed that the government is also making effort to immediately start the vaccination for the 18 plus age group adding that registration has already started.
According to him, the state has asked for 30 lakh doses for the 15 lakh population of those who are 18 years and above.
He however said due to shortage of supply of vaccines throughout the country, most states are not able to start the vaccination programme from May 1.
“But that does not mean people need to panic as there will be a process, there will be a schedule once the registration takes place, we will figure out how we will schedule the appointments for vaccination based on the supply that is given to us,” he said.
The chief minister also informed that there will be a certain amount of vaccines that will be guaranteed for the state in this particular one month where the supply is short.
“Based on that we will ration it out and spread it out across the state and ensure that the vaccination at least starts for the 18 plus but it may not happen in one go for everybody but will depend on the supply that we get from the different manufacturers,” he stated.
Further, Sangma said there are two problems in the vaccination for the 18 plus of which one is due to overall shortage and the other is that the Government of India may need to give importance to states which are in a much deeper crisis compared to Meghalaya.
“But this is a time when we all need to work together, coordinate with other states also, understand each other’s situation and work together to resolve this issue,” he added.
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