Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16

As Punjab continues to report high Covid positivity and fatality rate, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday ordered extension of the existing restrictions till May 31. He also gave directions for strict enforcement of all curbs.

Exploring Sputnik for 18-44 age group

Amid vax shortage, the CM has asked the Chief Secretary to explore the possibility of procuring Sputnik V for the 18-44 age group. Captain said the 1 lakh doses received for the category had almost been completely utilised.

The CM said the deputy commissioners would continue to determine opening of shops in a staggered manner and enforce other restrictions to check the spread of the virus, especially in rural areas. The DCs could make suitable amendments based on local conditions as long as these did not dilute the state’s overall restrictions, he said at a meeting called to review the state’s Covid situation.

The CM said the restrictions had led to some decline in day-to-day positivity with cases coming down from around 9,000 to 6,000, but the overall positivity and case fatality rate still stood at a high of 13.1 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively.

Stressing the need to avoid the kind of situation that was prevailing in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, Capt Amarinder announced a unique ‘Covid Fateh’ programme as part of a ‘Corona Mukt Pind Abhiyaan’ to tackle the spread of Covid in rural areas. He directed the health and rural development departments to spearhead the campaign with large-scale mobilisation of the community in villages.