New SOP relaxes restrictions with ‘mandatory’ precautions

March 20, 2021 37 Views No Comment

• Public programmes, fairs permitted
• 100 % seating in theatres and sports
• 100 % seating for passenger vehicles
• Transport authority told to revise fares
• ULBs told to ensure sanitizing facilities

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 19

The Nagaland government on March 19 issued a revised set of COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) relaxing the existing restrictions on public gatherings and vehicle passenger capacity. The SOPs issued by the Chief Secretary permitted the operations of vehicles “with upto 100 percent capacity with immediate effect in the state.”

Public gatherings but “outside Containment Zones” such as fairs/exhibitions/trade fairs, social/academic/sports/entertainment/cultural/political/religious functions, including theatres, multiplexes, cinema halls with 100 percent seating capacity and swimming pools have also been allowed to open.

The relaxations came with certain precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For vehicles (both private and commercial), wearing of masks by all occupants, including drivers and attendants, is mandatory as before. It asserted that no passenger will be allowed to travel with incorrectly worn mask, no vehicle will carry more than the total seating capacity and no standing passenger in any vehicle.

Passenger vehicles will mandatorily maintain a daily log book detailing name, phone number and date of travel of all travelers. While stating that all passengers must sanitize their hands before boarding, it added that the driver/attendant will mandatorily carry appropriate disinfectants and periodically disinfect the vehicle, besides washing it daily.

Crowding or huddling of drivers and their attendants at bus/taxi/auto rickshaw stands will not be allowed, it said.

Urban Local Bodies (ULB) were directed to ensure installation of adequate hand washing facilities with soap and running water or foot-operated alcohol-based hand sanitizer at the bus/taxi/auto rickshaw stands and display adequate IEC materials on COVID prevention. The ULBs were also directed to organise orientation programmes, in collaboration with the Unions/Associations of passenger vehicles on standard preventive measure for drivers and travelers. For this, it added that the necessary technical support will be provided by the District Task Force.

With the revised conditions in place, the government transport authorities have been told to revisit the existing fares and “consider revising them downwards suitably, if there were enhancements made earlier on grounds of restrictions on passenger capacity in the vehicles.”

For public events in closed space settings, including theatres and fairs, masks, social distancing, thermal screening and hand sanitizers are mandatory.

“In open spaces, the limit on the gathering of the people will be decided by the size of the ground/space concerned, and the requirement of strict adherence to social distancing; with wearing of face masks, provision of thermal screening, and hand wash or sanitizer” are mandatory, it said.

For outdoor and indoor sports events, the number of spectators allowed will be up to 100 percent of the seating capacity of the venue with the requisite SOPs in place.

The SOPs as specified will apply to spectators, organizers, venue providers, service providers and visitors, exhibitors and business delegates in case of fairs.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/new-sop-relaxes-restrictions-with-mandatory-precautions