Haryana state readies for imminent third Covid wave

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 2

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the state was working strenuously to deal with any situation that may arise due to the third wave of Covid.

‘PrecautionAry’ doses from Jan 10

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The health staff, frontline workers and senior citizens of the state will be given ‘precautionary’ doses from January 10. The vaccination of 15-18 age group will also start from Monday. They will be given Covaxin shots. — Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister

KU postpones Ratnawali fest

Kurukshetra: Amid the Covid surge, the Department of Youth and Cultural Affairs of the KU has postponed the state-level Ratnawali festival till further notice. It was scheduled for January 8 to 11. In a letter, a KU official said the fest had been postponed in view of Omicron emergence and the rising Covid cases. TNS

The Chief Minister presided over a review meeting on Covid here today. All Deputy Commissioners of the districts joined the meeting through videoconferencing. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to review the functioning of oxygen plants, hospitals and the availability of other necessary equipment in the districts. The Chief Minister said the Deputy Commissioners should also alert the local and inter-departmental committees of their districts, so that their services could be availed when required. Services of anganwari workers and the Education Department can also be sought. He said the bus stands, mini secretariats, malls, gyms and other public places should be kept under surveillance, and entry of people without the vaccination certificate should be restricted.

The CM said vigil should be kept on travellers coming from abroad till it was ensured they did not have Covid symptoms. He said the test report of the new variant takes time, and till then they should be advised to stay under home isolation.

The CM further said the facility of testing the new variant had been started at the Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He said the new variant was spreading rapidly. The movement of people at night should be strictly observed, he said. The CM said a fine of Rs 500 at individual level and Rs 5,000 at institution level could be imposed, if they were found flouting the Covid guidelines.

Khattar said cases were increasing in Gurugram, Faridabad, Panchkula, Sonepat and Ambala. These districts have been kept in Group A as the risk of spread is high there. He asked the Deputy Commissioners to review the Covid cases daily and analyse the pattern, if any. About 3 lakh vaccination doses were being administered every day, and so far, about 3.45 crore (2 crore-first dose, 1.44 crore-second dose) people had been vaccinated.