Chandigarh Administration mulls steps on Punjab pattern to check Covid surge

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20

In view of the steady rise in Covid-19 cases, the UT Administration may take stringent measures on the pattern of the Punjab Government to check the resurgence of cases in the city.

A senior official said: “If active Covid-19 cases continued to increase, the Administration will not hesitate in taking strict steps as being taken in the neighbouring state of Punjab”.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Secretary, during a videoconferencing, asked senior officials of the UT Administration to increase testing, particularly RT-PCR. The Home Secretary also laid emphasis on contact tracing, increasing number of containment zones and strictly enforcing Covid appropriate behaviour.

UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had recently directed the authorities to enhance testing, particularly RT-PCR. He advised the hospital authorities to ensure that patients going for OPD consultation should preferably get themselves tested for Covid to reduce the risk of spread of infection on the hospital premises and prevent unnecessary risk to health workers and other patients.

The Administrator had also directed the Municipal Commissioner to intensify contact tracing and enhance sanitisation in the city.

He had also directed the police to intensify challaning, particularly against those not wearing masks in crowded places, including markets.

He appealed to residents to cooperate with the Administration in the fight against the pandemic and strictly follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

He had stated that against a population of 12 lakh, the UT Administration had already conducted more than 2.80 lakh tests. The Administrator informed that 49 sites had been set up for providing vaccination facilities to eligible persons.

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