The Sikkim government on Saturday extended the statewide lockdown by another week from May 25 to May 31 as there has been no let-up in the continuing high numbers of Covid-19 cases.
However, partial relaxation has been granted for ration and vegetable shops. These shops will be allowed to operate from 8am to 11am from Monday. The other lockdown restrictions would continue to remain in place.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief minister P. S. Tamang (Golay) in Gangtok on Saturday.
The meeting took stock of the present Covid situation with main focus on the state’s preparedness for screening, diagnosis and management of any possible cases of mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus.
The chief minister is also understood to have directed the health department to immediately set up a Technical Expert Committee (TEC) to oversee and streamline the procurement of anti-Covid drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and Covid self-testing kit, CoviSelf.
The panel has also been tasked with monitoring and mobilising measures to tackle black fungus that critically affects a section of patients recovering from Covid.
