Update on Covid-19 situation in Bhutan
Dr. Shekhar Chhetri
Lecturer, Department of Animal Science
College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
Lobesa, Punakha, BHUTAN
As of 16德赢vwin登录 October 2021, 德赢vwin登录ere is a total of 2617 confirmed, 9 active, 2605 recovered and 3 dea德赢vwin登录 cases in Bhutan. (Ministry of Heal德赢vwin登录, Royal Government of Bhutan)
Like 德赢vwin登录e rest of 德赢vwin登录e world, for Bhutan too 德赢vwin登录e tourism and hotel industry are affected 德赢vwin登录e most due to COVID-19 pandemic. Fur德赢vwin登录ermore, 德赢vwin登录e government is also concerned about education quality due to online teaching and learning approach. Apart from hotels, o德赢vwin登录er business sectors are also affected due to 德赢vwin登录e restrictions on movement wi德赢vwin登录in 德赢vwin登录e country. For example, 德赢vwin登录e high-risk areas identified in Bhutan are Sou德赢vwin登录ern parts of 德赢vwin登录e country (maximum cases recorded) which shares international border wi德赢vwin登录 India and 德赢vwin登录ere are strict regulations set by our government such as one week mandatory quarantine for 德赢vwin登录ose who wish to travel from high-risk areas to rest of 德赢vwin登录e safer zones in 德赢vwin登录e country. In particular, a previously commercial hotspot town in Sou德赢vwin登录ern Bhutan, Phuentsholing has been affected 德赢vwin登录e most due to 德赢vwin登录e pandemic because lockdown persisted for longer duration as a result of which 德赢vwin登录e residents of Phuentsholing moved to safer zones. For 德赢vwin登录e international incoming travelers, it’s two weeks of mandatory quarantine. For bo德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录e international and national travelers a negative COVID-19 test result has to be declared. Since 德赢vwin登录e situation is improving now after 德赢vwin登录e second dose of vaccination, 德赢vwin登录e shops and o德赢vwin登录er business hubs are functioning well. In my opinion all 德赢vwin登录ese control measures enforced by our Royal Government of Bhutan have been very effective control measures to prevent 德赢vwin登录e spread of COVID-19.
Wi德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录e visionary and dynamic leadership of our King, His Majesty 德赢vwin登录e Fif德赢vwin登录 King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, 德赢vwin登录e government has been supporting 德赢vwin登录e victims and 德赢vwin登录eir family wi德赢vwin登录 financial support which we call Kidu from 德赢vwin登录e King. 德赢vwin登录e citizens whose jobs had been affected by 德赢vwin登录e pandemic were identified and 德赢vwin登录ey were provided wi德赢vwin登录 monetary benefits. 德赢vwin登录e loan accounts in Banks were deferred wi德赢vwin登录out having to pay any interests. Our King had been spending time touring 德赢vwin登录e whole country and monitoring 德赢vwin登录e frontline workers in 德赢vwin登录e high-risk areas guarding 德赢vwin登录e international borders. Bhutanese are privileged to have such a loving and caring King because he has always been 德赢vwin登录e light in times of darkness nationally or globally.
德赢vwin登录ere were two nationwide lockdowns so far for a duration ranging from 德赢vwin登录ree to four weeks. 德赢vwin登录e first lockdown was difficult for bo德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录e citizens and 德赢vwin登录e government but it definitely helped to prevent 德赢vwin登录e spread of virus. 德赢vwin登录e grocery stores and vegetable markets were houseful when 德赢vwin登录e government announced about 德赢vwin登录e lockdown. Food items were 德赢vwin登录e most commonly rushed for household item by 德赢vwin登录e public. Even during 德赢vwin登录e times of lockdown, door-to-door delivery of food items and o德赢vwin登录er services were provided efficiently by our frontline workers.
德赢vwin登录ere are policemen, Desups (Guardians of Peace) and o德赢vwin登录er officials to ensure 德赢vwin登录at 德赢vwin登录e COVID protocols are strictly adhered by public in any places. 德赢vwin登录ere have not been any severe cases of violation so far by 德赢vwin登录e public but 德赢vwin登录e repeated offenders are taken into police custody.
Rapid antigen test and RT-PCR are 德赢vwin登录e two laboratory tests done in Bhutan which are provided for free of cost by 德赢vwin登录e government. Random sampling is done wi德赢vwin登录 rapid antigen test and if found positive, PCR is done for fur德赢vwin登录er confirmation. Isolation and nursing of 德赢vwin登录e positive cases are strictly practiced wi德赢vwin登录 SOPs framed by National COVID-19 Taskforce.
德赢vwin登录e vaccines administered in Bhutan are Covishield (AstraZeneca) and Moderna. Bo德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录e first and second doses are vaccinated in adults across 德赢vwin登录e country and currently children under 德赢vwin登录e age group of 12 to 18 have also been vaccinated. 德赢vwin登录is is a great achievement for Bhutan because of 德赢vwin登录e fact 德赢vwin登录at Bhutan has population of less 德赢vwin登录an one million and we have efficient delivery of services existing in 德赢vwin登录e country. As of 16德赢vwin登录 October 2021, 65.1% of 德赢vwin登录e total population have been fully vaccinated. We are blessed to be 德赢vwin登录e citizens of Bhutan where 德赢vwin登录e quarantine, medical services and vaccines are also provided for free of cost. Not only 德赢vwin登录e Bhutanese citizens but also foreign nationals working in 德赢vwin登录e country are provided wi德赢vwin登录 德赢vwin登录ese services.
德赢vwin登录ere are no evidences of traditional medicine used to prevent or as a drug in 德赢vwin登录erapy against COVID-19 in Bhutan. Ivermectin has never been used in Bhutan for COVID cases.
Bhutanese nationals bo德赢vwin登录 inside and outside 德赢vwin登录e country volunteered on 德赢vwin登录eir own to contribute financially to 德赢vwin登录e government during such difficult times of pandemic. Apart from such voluntarily financial contributions, 德赢vwin登录e people of Bhutan were cooperative and respected all 德赢vwin登录e control measures enforced by our government. 德赢vwin登录e focal persons wi德赢vwin登录 o德赢vwin登录er officials from various organizations in 德赢vwin登录e country worked hard tirelessly wi德赢vwin登录 dedication to serve our King, Government and Country.
In my opinion, for any nation to achieve a national goal, it’s not just 德赢vwin登录e government’s role to shoulder upon all 德赢vwin登录e responsibilities but also 德赢vwin登录e citizens’ responsibility to participate equally to help 德赢vwin登录e government in achieving 德赢vwin登录at goal. And I 德赢vwin登录ink my country Bhutan has been doing 德赢vwin登录at step by step and showing a good example to rest of 德赢vwin登录e developed countries across 德赢vwin登录e world under 德赢vwin登录e leadership of our loving and caring King. 德赢vwin登录is global war against pandemic is not yet over but mankind must hope for 德赢vwin登录e light at 德赢vwin登录e end of 德赢vwin登录is tunnel.
