CHANDIGARH, August 14: The Punjab government on Saturday made it mandatory for those entering the state to show a negative RT-PCR test report or full Covid-19 vaccination certificate, from August 16. The decision was taken at a Covid-19 review meet chaired by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.
“Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered mandatory full Covid-19 vaccination or negative RT-PCR report for those entering the state from Monday. Those arriving from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir will, in particular, be strictly monitored, as these are showing increased positivity,” the statement read. This rule, it said, will apply to all those arriving in Punjab by road, rail or air routes, adding that if a person does not have either of the two documents, they will have to undergo mandatory RAT testing. Only those who have recently recovered from the coronavirus disease will be exempted from testing, the statement said.
During the meeting, the chief minister also expressed concern over Covid-19 cases being reported from schools, with at least 41 students and one staff member in government schools testing positive since August 9. “Only fully vaccinated teaching and non-teaching staff, or those who recently recovered from the viral disease, should physically teach in schools and colleges. Online learning option remains available to all students,” Singh was quoted as saying. He further directed that teaching and non-teaching staff be prioritised for vaccination, with special camps to be organised for both first and second dose beneficiaries.
“The chief minister has ordered that 10,000 test samples of students and staff from schools should be undertaken every day,” the statement further noted. It also quoted CM Singh as saying that parents of school going children should also be encouraged to immediately get vaccinated to enable the physical learning in schools without any interruptions. (Agencies)
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