Ganjam urges brides, grooms to seek -ve report from guests

BERHAMPUR: Ganjam district administration wants people to furnish Covid negative certificates while attending wedding ceremonies and has advised brides and grooms to urge their guests to furnish rapid antigen test report (RAT) report to this effect.
“Apart from strictly following Covid-appropriate behaviour relating to the marriage functions, the host might be advised to ask guests for rapid antigen test report of all the guests attending the function,” Ganjam district collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said in letter to all the sub-collectors on Sunday.
“It not only safe for the host, but also for everyone attending the event function amid the surge in coronavirus cases,” Kulange added. Besides the guests, the hosts and members of the bride and groom’s families are also advised to do their Covid-19 test before the wedding ceremony, he said.
A maximum of 50 people including the priest and bride and groom are allowed to attend the marriage ceremonies. The advice of the district administration assumes significance as several events, including marriage and death anniversaries, have turned into super-spreaders in different parts of the country.
While a couple in Uttarakhand made it mandatory for guests to furnish negative RT-PCR report to attend their wedding ceremony last month, a groom tested positive in Madhya Pradesh after the marriage last month.
The collector has also asked the hosts not to allow guests with symptoms of influenza-like infection (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) to enter the wedding venue. “In addition to it, vulnerable groups like those above 65 years of age, children below 10 years, people with co-morbidities and pregnant women are advised not to attend such events,” Kulange said.
He asked the sub-collectors to check if Covid guidelines are being strictly followed at wedding venues. “It must be checked if the host has taken prior permission for the event from the local police station. Owner of the venue or host of the function should also ensure checks at the entry point,” the collector said.
Earlier, the district administration had banned community feast at weddings. The administration asked hosts to distribute food packets to the guests. At least 10 wedding feasts have been stopped by the administration in different places in the district in one week for alleged violation of Covid guidelines.