Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

The Jomotshangkha drungkhag’s Covid-19 task force in Samdrupjongkhar implemented the fourth phase of unlocking in Langchenphu gewog and Jomotshangkha town yesterday.

According to the drungkhag’s notification, issued on March 14, with mass testing completed in yellow zones on March 13, a few residual cases were detected. They have been isolated, and primary contacts home quarantined.

The homes of the positive cases have been cordoned off as red buildings and villages as the red cluster. The Langchenphu gewog and Jomotshangkha town transited to green from yellow yesterday.

As per the notification, the movement within the zones is allowed without the movement card, and bakeries, stationeries, hardware and paan shops can open if the owners stay in the same zones as per the Covid-19 protocols.

The movement for the vehicles are not permitted, but in case of essential supply and emergency will be facilitated, while the government, corporations and private offices shall operate with identified staff upon RT-PCR negative.

The notification stated the businesses can operate until 7pm, constructions can work in containment, restaurants can open as take-away until 7pm, farming activities allowed in own chiwogs and export of agricultural product shall be facilitated, while any types of games and sports are not allowed.

According to the notification, the movement within the green chiwogs in the same gewog will be allowed from March 22 to March 28, and all shops and businesses can open until 9pm, while schools can reopen for teachers and saloons to operate at 50 percent capacity.

The movement between the green zones of different gewogs will be permitted from March 29 to April 4. The movement of private cars will be allowed, restaurants will operate at 50 percent capacity, and Jomotshangkha hospital will provide routine health services.

The notification stated that the red buildings and clusters should follow the existing protocols while the gewog task force shall facilitate delivery of essential goods in the villages, and identified shops shall deliver essential goods to the red buildings and clusters as per the current protocol.

The drungkhag reported around 290 Covid-19 cases, of which 43 were from the community between February 8 and yesterday.