Goa not to resume tourism activities until everyone in state receives first jab of COVID vaccine
The Goa government’s ongoing Tika Utsav 3.0 is aimed at 100% coverage of the first vaccine shot for all adults in the state.
FollowPanaji: In a major policy announcement, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that the state will not open for tourism until it fully administers the first shot of Covid-19 vaccine to its entire population.
The CM added that the administration is aiming to achieve this goal by July 31.
"Until we administer the first dose of vaccine (across the state), tourism will not be reopened here. Our target is to accomplish this goal by 31 July. We will consider reopening only after achieving that goal," said Sawant.
“There is no plan to start tourism until the first vaccination dose is completed. Our target is to complete it by July 30,” Sawant told reporters.
The Goa government’s ongoing Tika Utsav 3.0 is aimed at 100% coverage of the first vaccine shot for all adults in the state.
The statement comes a day after the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa was informed by the government that the state’s hospitality sector would open fully only after the positivity rate drops below 5%.
The TTAG, however, has insisted that tourism should be restarted at the earliest but with all safety protocols in place. The association's chairman Nilesh Shah suggested that only people who are fully vaccinated should be allowed to enter the state.
The TTAG had earlier recommended four different strategies to ensure that travellers entering the state do not spread the virus.
"Travellers should be allowed to enter Goa only with Covid-19 negative certificate or vaccination certificate," Shah said.
"If they don't have any of this, then the government should set up testing facilities at the borders or at railway stations, bus terminals and airports, where people should be provided this facility at affordable prices. The testing charges should not exceed Rs 500," he added.
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