Restrictions in Punjab to again kick in if positivity rate crosses 5%

CHANDIGARH: As the Punjab government is in the process of easing restrictions with improving Covid situation, strict lockdown-like curbs will again be clamped if the positivity rate breaches the 5% limit suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
With the weekly positivity rate touching as low as 0.52%, most of the restrictions imposed to control the spread during the dreaded second wave of infection have been lifted. Higher the positivity rate, the more difficult it is to control the spread of the virus.
To thwart the third wave, the state government has formulated detailed surveillance and containment strategy on recommendations of health experts.
Strict measures, including curfews, will be enforced when the positivity rate crosses 10% and the occupancy of oxygen and intensive care unit (ICU) beds goes higher than 30% of total capacity. Weekend and evening lockdowns and restrictions on attendance in offices will come in force in case the positivity rate recorded between 5-10% and bed occupancy between 21-30%.
In the case of positivity rate varying between 2-5% and bed occupancy between 15-20%, all educational institutes will be closed while restrictions on gatherings and closure of spaces meant for indoor public activity will be applied. The local administrations will start identifying containments zones once the positivity rate touches 1% and the bed occupancy crosses 15%.
For effective containment, it has been decided that an area with two cases will be declared as micro-containment while the threshold for declaring containment zone has been fixed at five or more cases.
An area will remain as micro-containment for at least 10 days and a containment zone for at least 14 days. The time period will be extended by seven days if any fresh case surfaces in the span of a week.
As testing is considered the most important factor in controlling the spread of the virus by identifying infected people early and isolating them, testing targets have been set. In case of positivity rate goes above 15%, a minimum of 300 tests per lakh population are to be conducted using RT-PCR and rapid antigen test for detecting Covid-19. Minimum of 250 tests per lakh population in case of positivity rate is more than 10%, 200 test per lakh, if positivity rate is recorded between 2-10% and 150 test per lakh if positivity drops below 1%.
Punjab principal health secretary Hussan Lal shared that a well-thought strategy had been formulated on the basis of recommendations given by experts roped in by the government. He sounded confident that the government will be able to thwart the third wave. “A detailed action plan has been made and all the necessary arrangements are being made accordingly,” he said. Lal urged people to help the government in the fight against the pandemic by adopting Covid-appropriate behaviour.
Rs 200 core allocated
For making necessary arrangements for the third wave, the state government has allocated Rs 205 crore of which Rs 150 crore has been earmarked for drugs and consumables, Rs 30 crore for equipment and Rs 25 crore for oxygen plants.
Whole genome sequencing
With large samples testing positive for Covid variants of concern, Punjab has identified 10 sentinel sites and sending at least 15 samples per site every 15 days for whole genome sequencing. Positive samples of post-vaccination, re-infection cases, death cases, severe cases, clustering are being sent for sequencing. The government is setting up sequencing facility at GMC Patiala.