COVID-19 negative report must for tourists visiting Mussoorie

In case you are planning to visit Mussoorie from outside Uttarakhand, a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test report is needed. To maintain COVID-19 safety and social distancing protocols, the Mussoorie administration has made it mandatory for travellers to get online bookings for their hotel accommodations by presenting a COVID-19 negative report.

"As the summer is peaking, tourists have started coming to Mussoorie in large numbers. But they are defying the COVID-19-induced guidelines. Roaming without masks and not maintaining social distancing have become normal,” said Narendra Pant, a police official in Mussoorie.

The development comes as large groups of tourists have been flocking to Manali and other tourist hotspots in Himachal Pradesh and Kempty Falls in Uttarakhand after both states opened their borders to people from other states. Despite the looming peril of the third wave of COVID-19, photos and videos of long queues of private vehicles and jampacked tourist destinations have raised alarm.

Joint Secretary of the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said visitors flocking to popular tourist spots in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh is nothing but an “open invitation” for the virus to come and infect. “We are still dealing with the second wave of COVID-19. We need to continue the display of Covid-appropriate behaviour,” Agarwal added.

Niti Aayog member Dr VK Paul also cautioned the citizens and said, “We cannot lower our guard. A new risk is being seen at tourist spots where a gathering of crowds being seen, social distancing and mask protocol is not being followed. This is a serious cause of concern.”

Edited by Mehak Agarwal

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Also read: 'Open invitation for COVID': Govt's warning after videos of overcrowding at tourists spots go viral