Sikkim closes borders till October to stay Coronavirus-free

Even though Sikkim has no positive case of Coronavirus so far, the state government has decided to keep its borders shut for tourists till October 2020. The government has said that it has been done to close all doors for the virus to enter the Himalayan state.

Not just Sikkim, but Nagaland is also COVID-free. Earlier, only one case of Coronavirus infection was reported in the state, and the patient was moved to Assam. Though Sikkim has remained Coronavirus-free so far, there are concerns about its low testing statistics. As less as 81 samples have been dispatched for COVID-19 testing from Sikkim, all of which have given negative results. Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad has stated that the decision to close the state border has been taken for the welfare of seven lakh people living in the region. The migrant labours in the state are being taken care of by the government. They are being offered food and money for survival. After the lockdown is over, the state government would put them in jobs.
Prasad also said that the residents of Sikkim, who were studying in China, returned in January and the borders of the state were sealed soon after. This strategy has immensely helped in keeping Sikkim safe. The students were also kept under quarantine until they were declared safe to leave.

Sikkim Chief Minister PS Goley and the Governor have held meetings to discuss the COVID-19 issues, and they are also in touch with the Central Government.