Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 11
In order to ensure that the Covid situation remains under control in the Punjab, Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan has directed the departments concerned to step up RT-PCR testing. She also instructed the DCs to ensure that only fully vaccinated teaching and non-teaching staff were allowed to attend the schools.
She directed that a target of 40,000 samples per day must be achieved and testing shall be further increased if the Covid cases rise.
Chairing a meeting to review the Covid situation in the state with senior officials of the Health, Medical Education, School Education Departments and all DCs, the Chief Secretary expressed concern over the movement of people to Punjab from neighbouring states and asked officials concerned to keep a close watch on the positivity rate ahead of the festive season.
Instructing districts officials to continue aggressive testing and contact tracing to check the spread of the pandemic, she said epidemiologists had been appointed in all districts and all-out efforts should be made to thwart the possible third Covid wave.
Quoting a report from the University of Cambridge, Mahajan said going with the forecast, new cases could be expected to double in about 64 days (under the assumption that the growth rate remains constant).
Three test positive at Bathinda school
Three Covid-positive cases were reported from Government Senior Secondary School at Balian Wali village in Bathinda on Wednesday. Around 1,400 samples were taken from different schools.
Only fully jabbed staff to attend schools: Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan
{$excerpt:n}
