GUWAHATI: The Assam government might go back to imposing a complete lockdown if Covid-19 protocols are violated and rules made for the safety of everyone are neglected, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Saturday.
“Even as the restrictions imposed to control the rise of Covid 19 pandemic in the state will be relaxed considerably from the first week of September, people of the state should adhere to Covid appropriate behaviour to save themselves from the viral infections,” Sarma said flagging off 15 ambulances and put them to the service of the people at a programme held at Janata Bhawan here.
“From the first week of September we will try to open up more. The number of Covid-19 cases has come down below 500 yesterday. So, we will open schools, colleges and buses; but if people don’t follow the Covid-19 protocols, we might have to go back to the state of total lockdown. As we relax the restrictions, I request everyone to follow the rules and regulations,” Sarma said.
Talking about the coverage of Covid vaccination in the state, during the current month, 61 lakh people have already been vaccinated and the figure is likely to reach 70 lakh by the end of this month.
He also requested the people to take the second jab as soon as they become eligible for it, because vaccination is the only way by which one can save oneself from Covid.
Sarma also thanked the people of the state and across the country for their contribution to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund during the first and second wave of the pandemic which, according to him, testified the empathetic nature of the people.
As part of its corporate social responsibility, Mahindra and Mahindra Limited donated 15 ambulances and 15 concentrators for use of the patients.
The chief minister thanked Mahindra and Mahindra Limited in donating the ambulances along with oxygen concentrators which would help the health department to render critical care services not only to the Covid patients but to those people down with health problems.
Sarma also said that the ambulances and oxygen concentrators inducted into the health system will strengthen the state government’s health infrastructure to render advanced and accountable health care services to the people.
Hailing the health department’s efforts, the chief minister said that it is because of the timely and round the clock services of the department with its men and materials the daily caseload of Covid positive patients have come down to five hundred in the state.
This has really augured positive development in the otherwise Covid afflicted society of Assam. He also said that after the recent visit of Union health and family welfare minister Mansukh Mandaviya to Assam, the vaccine shortage issue of the state was redressed.
Hailing the contributions of the Mahindra and Mahindra Limited to the state from time to time, Sarma underscored Assam’s deep-rooted association with the company in different sectors including agriculture.
Commissioner and secretary to health and family welfare department Siddharth Singh gave the welcome address in the programme which witnessed the presence of health and family welfare minister Keshab Mahanta, chief minister’s political secretary Jayanta Malla Baruah, mission director NHM Dr. Lakshamanan D, senior manager Mahindra and Mahindra Limited Nabajeet Sarma, area manager of the company Subrata Dutta and host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
