Covid-19: No night curfew for now as it may affect tourism, says Goa CM

The Goa government on Tuesday decided not to impose night curfew in the coastal state for now so that the tourism business amid the Christmas-New Year festival season is not affected.

Chief minister Pramod Sawant told reporters in Panaji that his government was monitoring the COVID-19 positivity rate and stringent decisions would be taken during the meeting of the task force scheduled to be held on January 3 in case this rate rises.

"Imposing immediate night curfew is not feasible being a tourist state. We will need time. We have appealed to tourists to take maximum precautions. The health department and police have been instructed to ensure COVID-19 norms are not violated," he said.

The positivity rate (infections detected per 100 tests) stood at 4.03 per cent on Tuesday, up from 3.99 on Monday, with the chief minister saying this rise was caused by two weddings that saw attendees from London and Germany.

He asked local residents to not party with foreign nationals who are yet to complete their quarantine period.

"There are 1,300 foreigners who have arrived here recently. Their re-testing would be done after quarantine period is over. The maximum number of tourists will arrive in Goa on December 31," Sawant said.

He informed that 94 per cent of the eligible beneficiaries in the state were fully vaccinated, while the remaining six percent were "delaying in taking the dose".

Sawant said, as per the Centre's order, those in the 15-18 age group will be vaccinated against COVID-19 from January 3 and registration for this drive will begin on January 1, on which date precaution dose administration for frontline staff and healthcare workers will also start.

The state will install genome sequencing facilities at Goa Medical College and Directorate of Health Services for detection of the Omicron variant, the CM said, adding that a US-based firm had agreed to provide one such machine free of cost, which would be kept at DHS.