Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar 

Health officials in Samdrupjongkhar on December 29 and 30 conducted a Covid-19 screening for vulnerable and risky people to lift the lockdown. 

Of the 607 people screened in Samdrupjongkhar, 326 individuals were negative to Covid-19 antigen test, while 281 tested negative to RT-PCR.

Samdrupjongkhar thromde collected about 346 samples, another 50 samples came from Samdrupcholing, 100 from Gomdar gewog, 30 from Jomotshangkha and 81 from Dewathang.

The test was conducted as per the health ministry’s directive to carry out the antigen test for 300 people from high-risk areas and travellers from Thimphu and Paro since December 17.

 The screening targeted those working at the border gate, Motanga industrial park and all frontline workers

The screening targeted those working at the border gate, Motanga industrial park and all frontline workers

The Covid-19 screening was targeted mainly for people working at the border gate, Motanga industrial area and all frontline workers. The testing is still ongoing and would continue.

“We were instructed to conduct a minimum of 300 vulnerable individuals but we went an extra mile and tested more than 600 individuals. We are doing well in terms of the Covid-19 status, and the unlocking hopefully should go as per the schedule,” a doctor said.

Meanwhile, the health officials in other eastern dzongkhags are conducting similar screening. Pemagatshel tested 184 people, and 124 individuals in Nganglam and all tested negative.

The officials said they are still carrying out testing for all people who came from Paro and Thimphu. “The unlocking would be done based on the surveillance reports,” an official said.

Meanwhile, residents said that since the Covid-19 cases are still increasing in some dzongkhags, it is good that health officials are carrying out mass screening before the unlocking. “But we should also be more cautious in future,” a resident said.

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