Himanta Biswa Sarma urges people to opt for low-key Durga Puja to prevent COVID spread

Guwahati: Amid the soaring number of COVID-19 cases across Assam, health, finance, and education minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has requested the people of the state to opt for a "low key" Durga Pujas in a bid to prevent the further spread of the viral infection.

Sarma, talking to media earlier today, urged the people to observe the annual festival by observing only the religious rituals associated with it. Sarma said that if people pay heed to his appeal, the is a chance that the cases will decrease. If not, Sarma said, the cases might continue to rise at the current rate.

Sarma, making his appeal, urged people to tone down on the usual fanfare associated with the Durga Puja in Assam, and advised them to observe it in a simpler fashion like the Rongali Bihu earlier this year.

Sarma also said that the COVID-19 shall remain a "challenge" for Assam till November of 2020. He added that in the months of September, October, and November, the number of cases is likely to cross the 75,000 mark in each month.

"In September, we will see 2,500 cases daily and the cases will touch 75,000," Sarma said, adding that the numbers are likely to increase in the ensuing months owing to the advent of festivals such as Durga Puja and Diwali.

Sarma, while attending the Plasma Donation Programme organized by the Junior Doctors' Association at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) said that people should not expect a vaccine to fight the disease till December. The state government will be able to arrange vaccines in the last month of the year only, Sarma said. "There are a lot of ups and downs when it comes to finding an effective vaccine," he added.

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