With just 14 active COVID cases, Meghalaya is set to reopen its restaurants, salons next week 

The Meghalaya government has decided to allow restaurants, beauty parlours, salons and barbershops to re-open from next week, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said. The health department and the district authorities will issue guidelines regarding this, he said on Wednesday.

During the review meeting, it was decided to allow restaurants, beauty parlours, salons and barbershops to reopen from June 22, Tynsong told reporters. In an order, Chief secretary M S Rao entrusted all deputy commissioners to ensure strict compliance of health-related protocols laid down by the central government. However, business establishment along the national highways in the state will remain shut until further notice, Tynsong said.

At present, there are 14 active COVID-19 cases in the state and 28 people have recovered, while one died. Even as 15,000 people returned from other parts of the country, the state government has been able to contain the spread of the coronavirus swiftly, Tynsong said. All returnees are mandatorily being put in institutional quarantine until their COVID-19 tests confirm they are negative, following which they are sent to undergo strict community quarantine or home quarantine, he said.

Except for the 13 cases that were detected in a single-family, the remaining were found among those who returned home from other parts of the country, a senior health official said.