Curbs spur vaccination in Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29

The Covid vaccination drive has picked up steam in the city after the announcement of the ‘no-entry rule’ for those who are not fully vaccinated, from January 1.

Long queues were witnessed at vaccination centres as people rushed to get the vaccine before the ‘mandatory vaccine’ deadline. At some centres, including the GMSH, Sector 16, and the Sector 27 dispensary, people waited in serpentine queues.

The weekly average of daily vaccination in the UT has gone up drastically, with 9,184 people getting the Covid vaccine each day in the fourth week (December 22 to 28) against just 2,915 beneficiaries in the preceding week (December 15-21). The second-week daily vaccination average (December 8-14) was 3,452. The first week (December 1-7) saw vaccination of 5,040 beneficiaries on an average each day.

As many as 10,173 beneficiaries received the Covid vaccine today. On December 24, the UT Administration had ordered restrictions on the entry of unvaccinated individuals to public places, hotels, banks and government offices from January 1.

Though only 2,107 people got the Covid jab on the following day due to Christmas, it rose to 4,919 on December 26. It further went up to 8,400 on December 27 and 9,184 on December 28.

Yesterday, the UT Administration announced more curbs for people sans full Covid vaccination by restricting their entry to educational institutions, including coaching and tuition centres, museums, theatres and clubs. These restrictions would also apply to the employees who work at these places, the order said.

Violators will have to pay a fine of Rs500 and in case of non-payment, they will attract proceedings under Section 188 of the IPC, the order further stated. The Deputy Commissioner and senior officials have been asked to ensure the implementation and compliance of the orders.

Since a large number of beneficiaries are “due and overdue” for the second dose of the Covid vaccine, new measures are being taken by the Administration to improve vaccination figures amid the fears of highly transmissible Omicron variant. So far, the UT has reported three Omicron cases.

Don’t entertain clients sans mask, traders told

Chandigarh: To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the Chandigarh Traders Association, Sector 17, has appealed to shopkeepers not to let any customer enter their establishments without a mask. Its chief, Kamaljit Singh Panchhi, said shopkeepers themselves should also wear a mask while dealing with customers. “This will ensure safety of one and all,” he added. TNS