Chandigarh, May 27 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday announced extension of the restrictions in the state till June 10, but ordered the limit on the number of passengers in personal vehicles to be removed, in view of decline in the positivity and number of active Covid cases.
He has also directed the resumption of elective surgeries in both government and private hospitals, as well restoration of OPD operations at all GMCHs in the state, in view of the improvement in the overall Covid situation.
Notably, elective surgeries had been stopped from April 12 to ensure adequate availability of beds and oxygen for serious Covid cases, but the Chief Minister has now allowed these to be resumed, subject to the condition that there will, for the present, be no reduction in beds for L3 patients in the hospital.
Medical Education Minister O P Soni said three GMCs had already started 50 per cent OPD operations, which will soon be scaled up to 100 per cent.
On the issue of restrictions, Capt Amarinder said it had been decided to continue with the curbs on the advice of experts. He clarified that while the limit on personal cars and two wheelers was being removed as these are used mainly by family members and close friends, those on commercial passenger vehicles and taxis will continue to be in place at present.
The Deputy Commissioners (DCs) will also continue to be empowered to make any adjustments in opening of non-essential shops as are merited by local conditions, he said.
Asserting that the state could not afford to be lax despite some easing of the situation, the Chief Minister directed the Health and Medical Education departments to continue strengthening the Covid care infrastructure and facilities to deal with a possible third wave of the pandemic. He asked them to invest also in augmenting paediatric care and to seek 500 paediatric ventilators from the Union Government.
The meeting was informed that all the 809 ventilators received earlier under the PM Cares Fund had been distributed and 136 of them were not working.
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