Amidst Surge in COVID-19 Cases, Government of Assam Issues Fresh SOP

Amid a massive spike in the cases of novel coronavirus infections, The Government of Assam issued a fresh set of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which is in continuation of the previous orders issued on the 12th of May 2021.

In continuation of the order issued vide No. ASDMA.24/2020/Pt-2/241 dated 12th May 2021 following is clarified:

Restriction on movement between 2 PM to 5 AM and odd-even vehicular regulation, as notified by jurisdictional DDMA will be applicable to every citizen of the state of Assam except:

1. Officials and persons, both government and private involved in emergency services that are essential for smooth functioning and uninterrupted delivery of public services. The concerned people involved in the essential services will have to produce a valid ID card.

2. All Judicial officers on the production of valid Identity cards.

3. All private medical personnel, pregnant women and patients for getting medical /health services.

4. Person coming from/going to Airports/Railway stations/lSBTs on the production of a valid ticket.

5. Officers/officials related to functioning of offices of Diplomats of various countries as well as persons holding any constitutional post on production of valid Identity card.

6. Electronic and print media on the production of valid identity card.

7. Movement of persons related to commercial and private establishments providing the following essential services/commodities. 

Commercial and private establishments providing essential services and commodities will be allowed to function: 

The following is clarified based on queries received from different quarters:

1. Operation of physical activities of Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) including e-auction are allowed with 20% of the total work force till 1 PM including tea tasting, sampling, brokering.Warehousing is fully exempted.
2. All Agricultural implements supply and maintenance activities may be allowed.
3. Hotels which are accommodating quarantined persons, medical and emergency staff, air crew may be allowed to operate with skeletal service.
4. Continuous process industries may be allowed to function, subject to workforce staying in the premises without outwards/inwards movement between 2 PM to 5 AM.
5. Agricultural and Tea Garden activities shall continue with strict observance COVID-19 appropriate behavior.
6. Activities relating to essential items supply from and to FCI establishments may be allowed to operate.
7. Hospitals and other related medical establishments including their manufacturing and distribution units both in public and private sector such as dispensaries, chemist and medical equipment shops, laboratories, clinics, nursing homes, ambulances etc will continue to remain functional. The transportation of all medical personnel, nurses, paramedical staff, other hospital support services be permitted;
8. Private security services shall continue;
9. Manufacturing units of essential commodities shall continue.
10. Railway offices and persons directly linked with operation of passenger and goods trains shall continue to operate.
11. Bank. Insurance Company and other financial institutions are allowed to work with skeletal staff.ATMs shall continue to operate 24x7.
12. Government I semi government officers in the rank of Deputy Secretary and above and senior executives in Non-Government sector along with their key support staff who are allowed to attend office upto 1 PM for emergency and essential works shall be exempted from the odd even vehicular regulation (as notified by jurisdictional DDMA).
13. Medicine Distributors and CNF can operate round the clock with optimum workforce for maintaining supply chain of medicines
14. For containment zones Deputy Comm1ss1oner may work out a mechanism to identify vendors and allow specified vehicles in designated areas of containment zones to sell all perishable and grocery items for a stipulated time period. 

As of Wednesday, Assam lodged over 5,657 new cases of the coronavirus infection, taking the total tally of cases in the state to over 3.1 lakh. 71 cases of COVID-induced fatalities have been reported from Assam in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in the state to 1,909 cases. The total active cases in the state, as of Wednesday, amount to 40,970. The highest COVID-19 infection contributing district continues to be Kamprup Metro with 1,456 new cases followed by Kamrup Rural with 460 cases, Dibrugarh with 381 cases, and Nagaon with 293 cases. The positivity rate remains 8.85% while the recovery rate for this deadly infectious disease stands at 85.74%.

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