A two-week training programme on living with the coronavirus was attended by 750 hawkers.
The programe, organised by the Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) with support from the National Health Mission, ran from October 12 to 23.
Two sessions a day were conducted with up to 30 people per session, which allowed for requisite social distancing.
The good response to these trainings meant that extra sessions had to be conducted on certain days.
The attendees were trained on understanding what Covid-19 is, how it is transmitted and how to break the chain of transmission.
The training stressed on preventive measures, such as properly wearing masks, including when one is talking and chewing kwai, on frequent hand washing and sanitising, cough/sneeze/spitting etiquette and on maintaining social distancing and how to follow the association’s protocols of odd/even numbers which limit how many hawkers can operate on a given day.
Participants were also told about how to boost immunity by eating healthily and certain myths about Covid were also dispelled by the resource persons.
“The association will next conduct a pamphlet distribution drive this week to further educate others so that “together we can ensure each other’s safety and overcome this pandemic,” a press release said today.
The MGSPHSVA felt that its multimedia presentation used during the training sessions was an effective tool in getting attendees to understand the concepts and offered to conduct further training for youth groups, Dorbar Shnongs or others.
