The Punjab government Thursday announced a slew of measures, including ending the Sunday lockdown and lifting of night curfew, as part of Unlock 5.0.
Punjab had imposed Sunday and night curfew despite the Centre’s Unlock 4.0 guidelines. With the state witnessing a decline in Covid1-19 cases and fatalities, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered the new measures at review meeting. He, however, directed DGP Dinkar Gupta to enforce wearing of masks.
CAR, BUS OCCUPANCY CONDITION GOES
Among the relaxations announced by the CM are increasing the guests limit for marriage functions and funerals to 100 in the state, in line with the Centre’s guidelines, as well as easing the limit of three persons in a car and 50 per cent capacity in buses, subject to the condition of windows being open.
The CM, however, directed DGP to ensure strict adherence to coronavirus protocol, with immediate action against those violating the mandatory wearing of masks condition. “There should be no laxity, especially in view of the ongoing paddy procurement operations and the forthcoming festival season,” he said.
SCHOOLS TO REOPEN AFTER DECISION BY HS AND EDUCATION SECY
On reopening of schools and educational institutions, which the Centre had left to the states to decide post October 15, the CM said the final decision will be announced after due deliberations between the home secretary and the education department.
A government statement said, the CM attributed the decline in the number of Covid cases and deaths in cities and towns to the restrictions imposed by the state government. However, he expressed concern over the increase in cases in rural areas.
Amarinder also directed Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to look into arranging for provision of vitamins to poor Covid patients discharged from hospitals.
POSITIVITY RATE NOSEDIVES
In a brief presentation earlier, the state’s expert health committee head Dr KK Talwar said the positivity rate had come down from 10.85 per cent on September 14 to 5.12 per cent on September 28. The number of deaths and patients on ventilators had also shown a decline during this period, he said. The state’s Covid death rate currently stands at 2.9 per cent while the recovery rate has gone up to 82.1 per cent.
Meanwhile, Dr DK Tiwari, Secretary, Medical Education & Research, disclosed that 54 Covid patients have donated plasma at the three GMCs so far.
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