Nim Dorji | Trongsa  

After undergoing mass Covid-19 test for three times and testing negative, residents of Kela villagers are hoping for a relaxation of health protocols in place.

The village was declared a yellow zone after a woman, who came from Paro, tested positive of the virus in December last year. Since then, mass testing was conducted three times in the village.

The last mass testing was conducted on January 12, where 179 people were tested. The results were negative.

Kela tshogpa, Rinchen Dawa, said the village is still considered yellow zone although all the three mass test results came negative. “People are still restricted to go anywhere.”

He said the primary contacts of the positive case also reached home yesterday. “We are waiting to hear that we could walk around without carrying movement card and go shopping.” That would happen if the village is changed to a green zone.

The four villages of Taktse, Eusa, Tashidingkha and Bubja, which are under strict surveillance, was relaxed like other places. Few villagers came in contact with the men who tested positive for Covid-19 last December and the village was put under strict surveillance.

Meanwhile, the dzongkhag Covid-19 taskforce met with vegetable vendors yesterday to ensure safety and preventative measures.

Incident commander, dzongrab Karma Dhendup, briefed vendors about the safety measures. He said that if vendors are found not following the protocols, the business would be closed for a month.

He urged vendors to check and inform customers to follow the protocols.

The vendors should also display price tag of their products either on a board or on chart paper with updated price daily.