No mask to invite Rs 2,000 fine in Delhi; testing hiked to 27K

New Delhi, November 19

The Delhi Government on Thursday hiked the fine for not wearing a mask in public from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 in view of a Covid surge in the city. The government also decided to increase the number of daily RT-PCR tests from 18,000 to 27,000.

Edit: Delhi’s covid crisis

After an all-party meeting, CM Arvind Kejriwal said the government had decided to reserve 80 per cent of ICU beds in private hospitals for Covid patients. The hospitals had also been asked to postpone non-critical surgeries and increase non-ICU Covid beds from 50 per cent to 60 per cent, he said.

MBBS quota for wards of frontline warriors

The government has reserved five Central pool MBBS seats for the wards of deceased Covid warriors

Any alternative medicine for Covid, SC asks govt

Noting that everybody can’t be allowed to prescribe drugs, the SC asked the Centre to file an affidavit on the manner and extent of use of alternative medicines for Covid patients

Oxford shots effective for older adults too

Oxford vaccine has reported a robust immune response in healthy adults, older people

The CM met Lt Governor Anil Baijal and apprised him of the steps taken by his government to contain the virus spread. Kejriwal appealed to the people not to celebrate Chhath at public places in the city. The BJP and Congress objected to restrictions on the celebrations and asked the government to allow it with required precautions. — TNS