Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

The Samdrupjongkhar town had begun the second mass Covid-19 testing in the town until the Pinchina checkpoint to confidently relax the lockdown yesterday.

The first strategised mass testing was carried out during the 72-hour lockdown for a complete case investigation through community screening and to prevent the spread of the virus in the community.

The three-day lockdown in the town was imposed after the second community positive case detected on May 6 from the police station.

About 2022 samples were collected and sent to the RT-PCR at Dewathang. All tested negative.

The second mass testing would ensure a total representative of the sample.

The samples will be collected based on the categories — most mobile and active member, comorbidities conditions, and unvaccinated members in the family.

The Eastern Covid-19 Task Force (EC-19TF) member, Gonpo Tenzin, said that the samples collected during the first mass testing were not representative because only one or two members were tested from the household.

He said that all must get tested who fell under those three categories in the family and that the complete unlocking in the town until the Pinchina checkpoint would depend on the results of the second mass testing.

“Health officials will test irrespective of family members from every household falling under those parameters to ensure no residual virus is left in the community before the unlocking,” Gonpo Tenzin said.

About 20 Covid-19 positives, including two community cases, have been detected in Samdrupjongkhar town so far since April 26.

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