Mizoram announces seven-day lockdown from May 10, bans intra-state travel

The total lockdown will remain in force till 4 am of May 17 in Mizoram. During the restriction period, no resident of the capital and district headquarter towns will be allowed to come out of their homes.

Aizawl: The Mizoram government on Friday (May 7) announced a 7-day total lockdown commencing from 4 am of May 10 to curtail the spread COVID-19 in the state, a government order said. The total lockdown will remain in force till 4 am of May 17 and no resident of the capital and district headquarter towns will be allowed to come out of their homes, it said.

Shops selling essential items to open on Thursday till 5 pm

However, shops dealing with essential commodities, vegetables and meats will be opened only on Thursday till 5 pm in these towns, the order said. Aizawl and district headquarters are currently in the lockdown mode.

Night curfew to remain in force from 7 pm - 4am

All district magistrates will impose night curfew in their respective district headquarter towns between 7 pm and 4 am, the order said. All state government offices barring health and family welfare, home, disaster management and rehabilitation, finance, information and public relations, civil aviation, district administrations and offices under the central government will be closed during the complete lockdown, it said.

The order said that the government has decided to enforce total lockdown as it felt that it is necessary to impose more restrictions on the movement of people and their activities to control and prevent the further spread of the pandemic.

Intra-state and inter-village movements have been strictly prohibited except under exceptional or very essential case during the period, it said.

Although the inter-state border will remain open, returnees or visitors will be allowed in only through those entry points opened by the state government. If they have tested negative for coronavirus they will be kept in mandatory home isolation for 10 days, the order said.

The returnees can opt for paid quarantine, community quarantine or government facilities if they do not have room for self-isolation and will be required to undergo RT-PCR test after 10 days, it said.

Quarantine will not be mandatory for people visiting the state for les than 96 hours provided they produce COVID-19 negative certificates from ICMR recognised RT-PCR on their arrival.

Certificates from Truenat or CBNAT labs after rapid antigen tests will also be accepted but should not be older than 96 hours, the order said.

Places of worship, educational institutions, public parks, picnic spots, movie theatres, gymnasiums, community halls, restaurants, shopping complexes, malls, shops will be closed during the lockdown in all parts of the state.

Social gatherings have also been prohibited during the period, it added.