Varanasi: As new Covid-19 positive cases crossed the bar of 100 between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, the district administration, which was now focusing on large-scale vaccination, has restarted enforcing Covid protocol strictly and Section
144 CrPC has been promulgated in the entire district. Moreover, level-2 facilities have also been restarted.
District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma told TOI on Thursday, “Section 144 CrPC has been enforced in the district. So far, the entire focus was on vaccination drive in order to curb the Covid mortality rate. But, as the fresh wave has adopted an alarming trend again since last week of March, it has been decided to give equal emphasis to increasing sampling for lab tests and restarting level-2 facilities.”
“Sample testing is being done at the airport and also randomly at railway stations and bus stands,” he said adding, “now efforts will be made to allow the entry of people in the city through these points after testing of their samples only.”
“Strict enforcement of Covid-19 protocol including mandatorily wearing of mask, maintaining of social distancing and sanitisation will also be restarted at all places of public gathering like at ghats along river Ganga and markets by roping in police,” he added.
Regarding treatment facilities, the DM said BHU had been asked to increase the number of beds in the L-3 facility at its super-speciality wing. L-2 facility has been restarted at DDU district hospital while ESIC and other hospitals have also been asked to be in alert mode. The number of sites for vaccinations are being increased with the beginning of vaccination of people over 45 years of age.
He added that in the panchayat poll process, wearing a mask for candidates for receiving nomination forms, its submission and canvassing has been made a must. All polling staff above 45-years in age would be vaccinated on priority, he added.
On the other hand, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation also re-launched the mega sanitation drive. The city health officer Dr NP Singh said that a roaster has been finalised as per the directives of the DM and municipal commissioner to ensure that the entire city area is covered under the drive. Repeated sanitation works will be evident at the places of public gathering, he added.