SHILLONG, Aug 20 - The Meghalaya Government today announced that all entry points of the State would remain closed in the first week of every month from September to November to provide relief to frontline workers engaged in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was taken today in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. His Cabinet colleagues and Health officials were present in the meeting.
�The Government has decided to close all entry points to Meghalaya for one week every month in the next three months starting September. This is being done to unburden our Health and frontline workers, and the respective district administration engaged in intensive surveillance for COVID-19,� Sangma said.
Under the new guideline, the entry points will remain closed from September 1 to 7, October 1 to 7, and November 1 to 7.
The entry points which will remain closed during the period, are Byrnihat (Ri-Bhoi), Ratacheerra (Jaintia Hills), Bajengdoba (East Garo Hills), Tikrikilla (West Garo Hills), Mirjumla (South West Garo Hills) and Haldiaganj (East Garo Hills).
According to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, apart from giving the necessary break to frontline health workers at these entry points, these places will also undergo extensive sanitisation during the period they remain closed.
�All those who have booked their travel to the State on these dates are requested to cancel their train and flight tickets, and change their itinerary,� Tynsong added.
In the review meeting, it was also decided that the quarantine period for returnees would now stand reduced to 10 days at home for those who test negative at the entry points.
�Under the new SOP, those returning to the State and testing negative will have to self-quarantine in their homes for 10 days instead of the mandatory 14 days. This is under a changed ICMR health protocol,� Tynsong added.
The State Government has also decided to convene a meeting between the Chief Minister and the MLAs from each of the 11 districts separately to assess the COVID-19 situation in their respective districts. The first such meeting will be held between the Chief Minister and the MLAs from East Khasi Hills district on Friday.
Meanwhile, 126 new cases of COVID-19 were reported from across the State. The total active cases now stand at 925 and the total recoveries have gone up to 730. East Khasi Hills district reported 106 of the new cases and 10 were from West Garo Hills district.