Nima Wangdi 

The increasing number of positive cases in the community is attributed to the people not isolating themselves strictly after testing positive.

People say some positive persons are found roaming around freely.

A corporate employee said that the people are asked to go home from the flu clinics after they test positive without adequate briefings on the need to isolate. “People must be thinking that they are free to roam around even after testing positive.”

She said the lapses are there from the public, health officials and even  front liners. She said that a front liner, who is supposed to know all these protocol, was also found roaming freely in her locality after he tested positive. “If this is going to be the case, the pandemic situation will only become worst … I feel there is no monitoring of the positive cases; they are left on their own.”

A resident in Chubachu said the people should know  that they should strictly be isolated after testing positive so that the virus doesn’t spread to others around. “People think that the Omicron is a mild variant and it does not cause serious illness. That’s why people don’t really isolate even if they test positive.”

Ministry of Health recently issued a public notification asking the positive people to isolate as required by the Covid-19 management protocol.    

The notification stated that moving around even after testing positive and also traveling to other dzongkhags could lead to widespread transmission of the virus.

“It is mandatory for the inter-dzongkhag travellers to have tested before commencing the journey if they intend to stay overnight,” the notification read. “Appropriate actions will be taken against individuals breaching any Covid-19 travel and home isolation protocols.”