Strict COVID-19 protocols during Prez Murmu’s visit to Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan 10  Strict COVID-19 protocols have been issued during the visit of President Droupadi Murmu to Meghalaya, an official said on Wednesday.
Murmu will be undertaking the maiden visit to Meghalaya on January 15. She will inaugurate the Meghalaya Games 2024 at Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills on January 15.
Apart from inaugurating the Meghalaya Games, the President would also lay the foundation stone for the Shillong Ropeway project and is later expected to address a public gathering at Mawphlang Sacred Groves on January 16.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Union Ministry of Home Affairs have ordered for maintenance of COVID-19 protocols for all officials including drivers and security staff during the visit.
As per the guidelines issued “persons having fever, persistent cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, and cold problem or any other influenza-like symptoms will not be put on duty during the President’s visit,” an official said here today.
The new variant of COVID JN1 has been slowly spreading across the country with symptoms like fever, persistent cough, runny nose, sore throat, body ache, and fatigue.
As per the protocol, face masks would be mandatory for all those attending the President’s programme in Shillong and Tura.
The government has also directed that a minimum number of dignitaries will be present for the reception and seeing off and no gifts, flowers, mementos, shawls, etc will be presented at the venues.
“Dignitaries and officials meeting the President and the staff would also be tested for the RT-PCR test for COVID-19 in the last 72 hours before the event and the report would be available before the arrival of the President,” the official said.
Further, no group photograph will be allowed unless cleared by the President’s Secretariat and there would be proper ventilation at the venues, which would be first sanitised with sodium hypochlorite solution for floor and room and Sterigen C for wooden and metallic surfaces and furniture.
Vehicles to be used by the President and the entourage, green room for the President, chairs on the dais, rostrum, microphone, guest rooms, and toilets will also be sanitized with a special liquid and disposable tissue papers will be used in restrooms.