Shillong, Aug 26 (PTI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday announced reopening of the state's tourism sector from September 1 with relaxations of COVID protocols for travellers.

Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccines 'Disease-Modifying' Not ‘Preventing’; Masks Must Even After 2nd Dose of Vaccination, Says ICMR Director Balram Bhargava.

Tourists, who have been fully inoculated, will be allowed to visit Meghalaya, while negative COVID test reports, conducted 72 hours before arrival in the state, will be mandatory for those who received the first dose of vaccines, he said.

Also Read | Motorola Edge 20 Fusion To Go on Sale Tomorrow; Prices, Features & Other Details.

Taking to Twitter, the chief minister said, “Meghalaya will restart its tourism (sector) from 1st September 2021 with the following protocols: Fully vaccinated tourists will be allowed to visit the state for tourism-related purposes from 1st September, 2021."

He also said, “Tourists who are vaccinated with a single dose will have to produce negative RT-PCR/TrueNat/CBNAAT report valid only if they have tested within 72 hrs prior to their arrival at the entry point."

Residents of Meghalaya will also be allowed to visit any tourist destination in the state, he said.

The Meghalaya Cabinet on Thursday decided to resume physical classes in colleges from September 1, while schools in urban areas may be allowed to reopen for students of classes 9 to 12, he said.

All schools in rural areas may also be allowed to reopen for students of classes 6 to 12, the CM said.

“Govt (government) has decided to reopen all colleges in Meghalaya from September 1. For schools in urban areas, Cl (class) 1-5 may have online classes, Cl 6-8 may have school visits & Cl 9-12 may be opened. For Schools in rural areas, Cl 1-5 may have school visits & Cl 6-12 may be opened,” the chief minister said on the microblogging site.

The government had imposed lockdown across the state on May 5 amid the second wave of COVID-19 and has been relaxing the restrictions with an improvement in the pandemic situation.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)