COVID VACCINATION ALL 7 DAYS IN STATE

Not only Aadhaar card, any identity proof valid for getting inoculated; CS orders to ramp up ongoing drive, increase session sites

• Over 90,000 face mask violators put to Covid test, 18,500 challaned, says DGP

Chandigarh, March 27:

In order to further expand the coverage of the ongoing Covid vaccination drive, the Punjab Government is providing vaccination facility on all 7 days a week, there will be an increase in the number of session sites, and  any identity proof will be considered as valid document for inoculating the eligible person in the state.

This was done to effectively contain the further spread of the sudden surge in daily new Covid cases in the state for the past several days.

A decision to this effect was taken at a virtual meeting, chaired by the Chief Secretary  Vini Mahajan, to review the Covid situation and status of the ongoing vaccination drive, here on Saturday.

She directed all the concerned departments to ramp up the pace of the ongoing vaccination drive to cover the maximum population and save the precious human lives from the pandemic. She also asserted to strictly enforce the Covid appropriate behaviour among the masses.

Sharing the details, the Chief Secretary said besides increasing the number of vaccination centres, the government is running  inoculation drive on all 7 days of the week.

Referring to the recent approval by the Union Government to also vaccinate all persons above 45 years of age from April 1, Ms Mahajan asked the Health and other departments concerned to rope in more private facilities for increasing the ambit of the ongoing vaccination drive.

Besides continuing vaccination at private and government facilities, the Chief Secretary also directed the Health department to hold special vaccination camps to cover the maximum citizens at their doorsteps.

“All arrangements should be in place till March 31 before starting the inoculation drive for all persons above 45 years of age from April 1 so that there remains no hitch at the last moment,”  desired Ms Mahajan, while instructing the Health department to target the eligible vulnerable sections of the society like journalists, shopkeepers, government employees, especially those who were engaged in public dealing, first for Covid jab.

She said the focus should be on saving lives and to curtail the virus spread as cases were surging daily in the state.

The Chief Secretary asked the Medical Education and Research department to ensure that Covid test result report should reach the concerned person within 15 hours as earlier detection will help to effectively contain the spread of the virus. She also directed the Health department to ensure 100 per cent testing in the micro-containment zones.

Acting swiftly on the directions, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Hussan Lal, said any photo identity card will be valid for vaccination, and there was no need to insist on a particular identity proof.

Participating in the meeting, the Director General of Police (DGP), Mr Dinkar Gupta, said the state police were on its toes to curtail the spread of virus and as many as 90,363 face mask violators have been taken for Covid testing in the state so far. In a week, more than 18,500 violators were issued challans for not wearing masks.

The special enforcement drive was started on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on March 19.

He also asked the CPs and SSPs to crack the whip against the violators, who were putting themselves and others at risk.

“Special vaccination camps would be organised for the police personnel and their families at police lines and other places soon,” the DGP added.

Principal Secretary Medical Education and Research DK Tiwari, Health Adviser to Punjab Government Dr KK Talwar, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor Dr Raj Bahadur, all Deputy Commissioners, Commissioners of Police, SSPs and other senior officials of the state government attended the meeting.