Truckers ferrying gypsum from Pema Gatshel to Samdrup Jongkhar are hopeful that the ongoing second nationwide vaccine drive will result in relaxing some of the COVID-19 protocols. They are anticipating some changes in the low-risk to high-risk travel protocols after receiving the second dose of the COVID vaccine.
Today, truckers have to return to Pema Gatshel from Samdrup Jongkhar right after they unload the gypsum as Samdrup Jongkhar is identified as a high-risk area. Moreover, they need to get permission if they have to stop on the way during the travel.
There are some 90 truckers ferrying gypsum from Pema Gatshel to Samdrup Jongkhar. They started receiving the second dose of the vaccine yesterday.
“We have to seek permission from the task force even to change tyres after crossing Tshelingor. The problem arises when we don’t have enough talk time balance to inform the task force. And some truckers don’t even have a mobile phone. It is really inconvenient for us since we have to seek permission even to stop for toilet,” said Tshewang, a trucker in Pema Gatshel.
“Since vehicles are bound to break down anytime, the travel protocol is very inconvenient for us. To date, we have been helping each other when our trucks break down but the protocol of not allowing us to get out of our truck is very difficult,” added Nado, also a trucker.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said COVID protocols will be relaxed only after achieving herd immunity against the virus, during a recent interaction with the people via Facebook Live.
“After the second dose, if we manage to attain herd immunity that is if we can manage to vaccinate almost 80 per cent of the population, quarantine norms, 21 days for people those who are coming from abroad and seven-day quarantine norms for those who are travelling from a high-risk area to low risk area, lockdown conditions and gathering conditions, there will be some relaxation,” said Lyonchhen.
Lyonchhen said to achieve this, everyone in the country needs to shoulder the responsibilities of getting vaccinated. And till then, the truckers will have to follow the same protocol to keep the virus at bay.
Thinley Dorji/ Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sonam
