Withcases of Delta Plus variant coming to light, Punjab Chief Minister CaptainAmarinder Singh on Tuesday ordered extension of the Covid restrictions tillJuly 10, with certain more relaxations, including opening of bars, pubs and ahatas at 50% capacity,beginning July 1.
SkillDevelopment Centres and Universities have also been allowed to open conditionalto the staff and students having taken at least one dose of vaccine. IELTScoaching institutes were already allowed to be opened, subject to students andstaff having taken at least one dose of vaccine.
Announcingthe relaxations at a high-level Covid review meeting, the Chief Minister madeit clear that the bars, pubs and ahatas would have to strictly maintain socialdistancing protocols, and waiters/ servers/other employees should have taken atleast one dose of the Covid vaccine. Hemade it clear that it would be the responsibility of the owners to ensure thatthe conditions are met.
Expressingsatisfaction over the decline in positivity to less than 1%, with overall fallin active cases, the Chief Minister noted that the positivity rate in somedistricts still remained over 1%. Further, the finding of Delta plus variantwas a matter of concern, making it essential to continue with the curbs, hestressed.
Themonth wise whole genome sequencing has shown that more than 90% is a variant ofconcern, with the original virus having been practically replaced by variants,disclosed the Chief Minister. Two cases (Ludhiana and Patiala) have shown Deltaplus variant, while in May and June, the Delta variant was most prevalent, hepointed out.
Ofthe 198 contacts of the Ludhiana patient traced and tested, one was foundpositive and the sample has been sent for genome sequencing, while in thePatiala case, for which the genome sequencing report was received on June 26,the process of tracing/testing is going on. Chief Secretary Vini Mahajandisclosed that genome sampling of as many as 489 samples (including 276 sent inApril, 100 in May and 113 in June were still pending with the central lab). Shealso clarified that the Delta plus variant was found in samples sent by thestate govt in May, whose results were given by GOI labs recently.
CaptainAmarinder ordered fast tracking of the establishment of a Whole GenomeSequencing Lab at GMCH Patiala, in association with the internationalnon-profit organisation PATH, to make it operational by July. He also orderedintensification of genome sequences of cases reported from clusters in limitedgeographical, institutional or superspreader event area to check the spread ofthe potential third wave.
HealthMinister Balbir Sidhu suggested a close watch on visitors from countriesreporting Delta Plus variant cases.
Reviewingthe preparations for what experts have predicted as an imminent third way, theChief Minister directed the Health and Medical Education departments to scaleup testing.
Furtherfrom the current 40000 a day and contact tracing, currently at 22 per positiveperson, at not less than 15 per person. Underlining the need to continue withCorona Mukt Pendu Abhiyan in full force, he also directed organisation ofoutreach camps especially in villages for testing.
Onthe steps taken to reduce the turnaround time for testing, he stressed the needto proceed expeditiously with the proposal from PATH to support automation ofthe government lab at GMCH Patiala on a pilot basis, and equip it with barcodescanning so that data is automatically fed into the system.
Healthdepartment should continue to prioritise the Lok Sanjhedari model so that thereis community ownership and a sustained campaign to observe Covid appropriatebehaviour, said the Chief Minister. Health Secretary Hussan Lal, in a briefpresentation earlier, said the department had formulated a comprehensivesurveillance strategy to keep a check on the potential third wave drivers.These drivers include behavioural change after the 2nd wave, seasonal changes,re-infection due to waning of immunity and viral mutations.
TheChief Minister asked the department to work on restrictions computed on areabasis (ward, village, block, town, city), going beyond the micro containmentand containment strategies being followed so far.
CaptainAmarinder asked the department to give appointment and postings, at theearliest, to the 128 specialist doctors recently selected by the Dr KK Talwarcommittee. Regular recruitment shouldalso continue at all levels, he added. The Chief Minister noted that 77 PSAplants are in the process of being set up to meet requirement of oxygen in caseof a sudden surge. The state also has over 6700 Oxygen concentrators, he added.
MedicalEducation & Research Minister OP Soni said 80% of the preparations neededto tackle the third wave were already completed in the Government MedicalColleges of the state.
DrTalwar told the meeting that it was very difficult to predict the third wavedue to mutation, with the Delta Plus variant already reported from 12 countriesand 52 cases in Maharashtra. Urging extreme caution, he said it was necessaryto see how the mutant behaves. As of now, the existing vaccines were showingeffectiveness against the present variants, he said.
Onthe Black Fungus (Mucormycosis), the Chief Minister noted that Punjab has hadmuch fewer cases than most other states, including Haryana, and Delhi, whichnot only saw more cases but more than three times the deaths in Punjab. TheChief Minister, however, said it was unfortunate that 51 people had died due toblack fungus in the state.