Punjab extends Covid curbs until September 30

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 10

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh extended existing Covid restrictions until September 30 in view of the upcoming festival season on Friday, a press release said.

Captain Amarinder, who chaired a Covid-19 review meeting, also limited all gatherings—political as well as social— to 300 with strict enforcement of Covid-19 protocols. Organisers, including political parties, must ensure that participants, management and staff attending any festival-related events have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

He also increased testing from the current 45,000 a day to at least 50,000 a day in preparation of a possible third wave of Covid-19.

“Along with sentinel testing, outreach camps and testing should be taken up, especially where public gathering is expected to take place on account of the festival season,” he said.

Pointing out that the GIS based surveillance and prevention tool with an auto trigger mechanism for localised restrictions was now live in all Districts, Captain Amarinder further directed the Health Department to take micro-containment measures using these tools for areas/localities where cases are more than five.

Calling for continued vigil in the light of the festivals, the Chief Minister urged all political parties to lead by example, while directing the DGP to ensure compliance of restrictions by all. DGP Dinkar Gupta said that, with case load decreasing, people had started being lax on the masks front, which the Health Department should strictly enforce with the help of the police.

Captain Amarinder also directed Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to make joint administration-police flying squads in each district to ensure compliance at restaurants, marriage palaces, etc.