PANJIM: In a fresh advisory issued by the Directorate of Health Services, the State has taken additional measurers for the preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The advisory, issued by Health Services Director Jose A O D’Sa says that all malls will remain shut till March 31, 2020. “The operations of all weekly bazaars shall be suspended; all pubs shall remain closed; all coaching classes shall be suspended and all shopping malls shall remain closed,” the advisory says.
It further says that the order comes into effect from 12.00 hours of the intervening night between 20-03-2020 and 21-03-2020 and will remain in force till 31/03/2020. The Health Minister has already proposed shutting of borders with Maharashtra and Karnataka and appealed to tourists not to come to Goa.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant also asked people not to panic as there was no positive COVID-19 case so far. “There is no positive case so far and we have taken preventive measures to keep virus at bay,” he said.
He urged people not to indulge in stocking essential items, as there is not going to be any shortage.
To a query Sawant refused to seal the borders saying it is not needed. “We are taking all required precaution so such drastic steps are not needed,” he said.
He said the State had received additional thermal guns on Thursday and the thermal scanners will be delivered by Saturday. “We have taken foolproof measures, people must not panic and not believe in rumours on social media,” he stated.
