COVID: Punjab lifts weekend and night curfew- What's allowed
The Punjab government on Friday lifted the ongoing weekend and night curfews across the state as COVID-19 situation has improved significantly. As per the directive, people who have taken at least one vaccine dose will be allowed to visit bars, cinemas, gyms and malls, news agency ANI reported.
Punjab curfew lifted: What's allowed
- According to the guidelines, Indoor and outdoor gathering will be allowed from July 12 onwards.
- Gatherings of 100 people for indoor activities and 200 for outdoor activities are also permitted.
- Increase in supply of vaccines is critical and opening of sectors requires stakeholders with one dose. The state used stock without wastage and has vaccinated 83 lakh eligible people. It has utilized more than 6 lakh doses in a single day, Chief ministers office said.
- Schools, however, will continue to remain closed.
- Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the state police to issue challans to political leaders if they are found violating Covid protocols while holding rallies and protests.
- Colleges, coaching centres and all institutes of higher learning shall be allowed to open by deputy commissioners subject to submission of a certificate that the teaching, non-teaching staff members and students have got at least one dose of vaccine at least two weeks ago.
- Cinema halls, malls, restaurants, bars, spas, swimming pools, sports complexes gyms, museums and zoos have also been allowed to reopen with a condition that all staff members and eligible visitors have got at least one shot of the anti-Covid vaccine, it said.
Punjab had imposed curfew from 8 pm to 5 am daily and weekend curfew from 8 pm on Saturday up to 5 am on Monday, across the state.
Reviewing the Covid situation, the chief minister said the situation will again be reviewed on July 20. Use of masks must be ensured at all times, he said while announcing the easing of restrictions.
State Health Secretary Hussan Lal said four districts had shown positivity of one per cent or less than that. However, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ferozpur and Roop Nagar districts still need vaccination, he said.
Referring to the cases of black fungus, which has been reported in 623 patients as of July 8, the chief minister asked the health department to work out a proposal for supporting and helping in the treatment of such patients.
Of the 623 black fungus cases, 67 were from outside the state, 337 were under treatment and 154 have been discharged while 51 patients have died, the health secretary informed the meeting.
The chief minister noted that due to the standard operating procedure in place for Covid and post-Covid care, Punjab has had much fewer cases of black fungus and deaths than most other states, including Haryana, and Delhi.
While Punjab has so far reported 623 cases and 51 deaths due to black fungus, both Haryana and Delhi have seen over 1,600 cases each, with 193 and 236 deaths respectively.
(With PTI Inputs)
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