Casinos, spas, river cruises set to restart from tomorrow in Goa

PANAJI: There is good news for tourists who wish to visit Goa during the pandemic, as the state government has permitted the opening of tourism-related activities such as casinos, spas, massage parlours and river cruises from Monday. All these will be limited to 50% of their capacity.
The state, however, has decided not to allow electronic dance music (EDM) festivals and nightclubs.CM Pramod Sawant told TOI that the state-level curfew would be extended, with these relaxations.

Tourism-related activities have been shut in Goa since the state was hit by a brutal second wave of Covid-19.
Sawant chaired a meeting of the Covid task force and discussed the recommendations of the expert committee, which suggested the opening of tourism-related and economic activities.
“The state government will allow economic and tourism-related activities including the reopening of casinos, spas, massage parlours and river cruises at 50% capacity from Monday, with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs),” the chief minister said.
Sawant said that those entering casinos should be fully-vaccinated or possess an RT-PCR negative certificate.
TOI reported on Saturday that the government has written to the Union ministries of home affairs and external affairs to give special permission to allow charter flights into the tourist state. “Goa is ready to start tourism and is open to welcome tourists. I think ours is the first state to welcome tourists during the pandemic,” Sawant had said.
With regards to the opening of schools, the chief minister said that the task force has asked the expert committee to take a decision and send it to the task force.
Sawant said that at the meeting, the positivity rate over the past three to four weeks was compared, and it remains below 2%.
Task force committee member Dr Shekhar Salkar said that a decision would be taken on October 15 whether or not to allowed EDM festivals in the state.
Salkar said that the expert committee would hold a meeting on September 24 or 25 to decide on schools opening. “Most likely, schools may reopen on October 4 with regards to Classes IX, X, XI and XII,” Salkar said.
Salkar said that the expert committee has recommended to the state government to vaccinate all school staff. Around 98% of school staff are already vaccinated.
Salkar also said that the expert committee will review the situation from time to time and give suggestions to the government. Salkar said that “scientifically, the third wave will come, but the virus will have to search for Goans to infect as 98% are vaccinated”. “Vaccinated persons get Covid, but chances of their death are extremely low,” Salkar said.