Concerned about recent surge in Covid-19 cases in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ordered fresh restrictions for adhering to covid appropriate behaviour from March 1.
- For indoor gathering maximum number of persons allowed capped at 100 and for outdoor to 200 persons
- Deputy Commissioners have been authorised to impose night curfew in hotspots in their districts if needed, with micro containment strategy to be adopted
- Police has been directed to ensure strict enforcement of wearing of masks, along with notification of Covid-19 monitors by all restaurants, marriage palaces, with the Department of Excise and Taxation to be the nodal agency in this regard.
- Covid testing to be ramped to 30,000 a day. The Chief Minister has ordered mandatory testing of 15 contacts per positive, with review to be undertaken by the Health Department.
- The decision on reducing occupancy in cinema halls will be taken after March 1.
- Private offices and restaurants will be encouraged to display last tests done for all employees.
He underscored the need for continued supervision of protocols for managing patients with co-morbidities, especially in private facilities. Citing cases of some deaths at home, he further directed the Health Department to ensure proper monitoring of home isolation cases, especially those with co-morbidities.
K.K. Talwar, who is heading the state government’s expert group on Covid-19, said a detailed analysis was being done on the recent spike in positivity rate, which suggested an increase in cases among young people. At the current rate, the positivity could go up to 4% in two weeks, translating into 800 cases per day, he said, thus stressing the need for urgent preventive steps.
Source: Business Insider
