The district administration has also started administering Covid-19 booster doses for people in the district
While many dzongkhags went under lockdown this month and a few dzongkhags also saw the lockdown being extended till the end of the month, Trashigang, however, has been one the few dzongkhags that has been successful to avoid a lockdown this time.
Although the district is not under a lockdown, the residents are more careful about the Covid-19 protocols and safety measures.
The Dzongkhag Health Officer (DHO), Gang Dorji said ever since the detection of the Covid-19 in the country, Trashigang Dzongkhag has been preparing on how to keep the disease away from the dzongkhag.
He said, “We have a contingency plan with detailed information on what and who is responsible in case the Covid-19 is detected in the dzongkhag.”
He added that there are also disaster preparedness and response plans including SOPs in place which are being updated based on the situation.
Talking about some of the major measures taken in the dzongkhag, the DHO said they have enhanced surveillance systems in place, where vulnerable people like frontline workers and business people are tested every two weeks.
Similarly, he said they also have monitoring teams, who are there to monitor compliance on the Covid-19 prevention protocols once in a month.
“We have a manpower surge plan and if needed then we can activate the plan to add the staff,” Gang Dorji said.
On the quarantine facilities in the district, the DHO said the current quarantine facilities can accommodate 121 people at a time in three major hotels.
He said the hotels include the Druk Deouthjung Resort with 23 rooms and 46 beds, Lingkhar Lodge with 14 rooms and 48 beds, and the TT hotel at Rangjung with 19 beds, and the Sangmari Resort at Wamrong with a capacity of eight beds.
Moreover, he said the dzongkhag administration has also identified non-hospital based isolation rooms at the Kelki High School in Kanglung if in case someone is tested positive without any symptoms.
“Then they will be kept in these isolation rooms,” he said, adding that there have been no issues till now and that they are hoping that these many identified beds will be sufficient in case of an emergency.
“If in case there is a mass community outbreak, then the team has also identified schools and colleges as quarantine facilities,” Gang Dorji said.
Meanwhile, the Trashigang district administration has also started administering Covid-19 booster doses for people in the district.
The booster dose vaccination program in Trashigang is expected to vaccinate 16,736 people and the campaign is expected to end when everyone from the age group (18-64 years) gets vaccinated.
The vaccination in Trashigang started on January 22 and a total of 10,112 people (4,884 male and 5,228 female) got the jab as of January 26 (4,884 male and 5,228 female); meaning that a total of 60.4% of people in the district were given the third booster dose as of January 26.
Gang Dorji said, “We have started vaccinating the people and it will go until all are vaccinated with the booster dose.”
He added that the vaccination will be given in all the 25 health centers and those who are eligible should get the jab from the nearest health centers following the Covid-19 protocols strictly.
He also said they are targeting to vaccinate more than 16,700 people ranging from 18 to 64 years of age in the current phase.
Sonam Tashi from Trashigang
