On Christmas eve and ahead of the festive season, when the movement of people peaks in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday, urged around 600-odd UK returnees to get themselves tested or isolated in wake of the spate of Covid-19 infection in the island nation linked to a new mutated strain of the virus.
Sawant also said the district administration had sent teams to trace the 600-odd travellers, mostly NRIs who have returned home to celebrate Christmas.
"Passengers who have arrived in Goa from the UK over the last six days are being monitored. They should either isolate themselves in hotels or at their homes. They should get themselves tested. Our administration is trying to look out for them," Sawant told reporters outside his official residence in Panaji on Thursday.
"Even if their RT-PCR test is negative, they should still stay in isolation and get themselves tested again. We are sending their reports to Pune for analysis as per MHA guidelines," Sawant said.
The Goa administration is particularly cautious reining in the spread of the mutated strain of the virus on account of the festive season when people visit each others' home to exchange Christmas and New Year greetings.
Goa's Churches have also issued a strict protocol to prevent a possible spread of the infection during prayer services by limiting the audience to 100 per mass. Special mass services will also be held only for senior citizens in Goa's Churches.
(Published 24 December 2020, 17:52 IST)
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