Stricter curbs in Punjab till April 30

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19

As Covid cases rise rapidly, the Punjab Government on Monday ordered stricter curbs, including extension of night curfew by an hour from 8 pm to 5 am and closure of bars, cinema halls, gyms, spas, coaching centres and sports complexes in the state from Tuesday till April 30.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who chaired a Covid review meeting, directed the police department to strictly enforce the restrictions.

The rates for RT-PCR and rapid antigen test (RAT) by private labs have been reduced to Rs 450 and Rs 300 (additional charges for home collection of samples) in a bid to promote increased testing.

Gatherings of more than 20 persons, including for weddings and cremations, have been banned across the state. A prior approval from the district administration will be needed for all gatherings of more than 10 persons, except for cremation. All weekly markets have also been ordered to remain closed.

Those having attended any large gathering would have to be mandatorily home-quarantined for five days and tested as per protocol, said officials.

Health Secretary Hussan Lal said by May 5, the state was projected to receive 6,000 cases a day if urgent steps were not taken in high-burden Ludhiana, Mohali, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala districts. The CM directed that RAT booths be set up at bus stands and railway stations to screen passengers.

Theatres, gyms shut

• Night curfew extended by an hour from 8 pm to 5 am
• Bars, cinemas, gyms, spas, coaching centres, sports complexes shut till April 30
• Restaurants, hotels open for takeaway and home-delivery from Monday to Saturday
• Gatherings of more than 20, including in weddings and cremations, banned
• Those flying into Punjab need negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours
• Number of passengers in buses, taxis and autos cut to 50 per cent of capacity
• Recruitment test for patwaris put off; MBBS, BAMS, nursing examination to be held online