Only fully vaccinated people will be permitted at public places such as markets, malls, hotels and cinema halls in Punjab, the state government announced on Tuesday amid a surge in coronavirus cases in many parts of the country driven by the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The order, which comes into effect from January 15, however, conspicuously did not mention political rallies at a time when the state is gearing up to hold elections early next year.
Private and public sector banks, hotels, bars, restaurants, malls, shopping complexes, cinema halls, gyms and fitness centres have been ordered to allow only fully vaccinated adults.
All government, board and corporation offices located in Chandigarh will allow only fully vaccinated people, according to the order issued by the state's home affairs and justice department.
"...COVID-19 pandemic has posed a huge challenge to the community and affected each and every individual adversely. Considering emergent issues especially because of the new variant of concern Omicron, the persons who are not fully vaccinated are required to take more precautions," the order stated.
"Accordingly all those adult persons who have not yet taken both the doses of vaccination should remain at their residences and should not visit any of public places/market/ function/ public transport/religious places, etc," it said.
It further said that vaccination teams where and whenever demanded by office in charges for on the spot vaccination or for regular vaccination camps at places of gathering would be provided by the department of health, it said.
A few days ago, the Punjab government had asked its employees to furnish details regarding COVID-19 vaccination and said if they fail to do so, they will not be able to draw their salaries.
Punjab on Monday had reported 46 new cases of the coronavirus, which took the infection tally to 6,04,279, according to a medical bulletin.
One Covid-related fatality was reported in Ludhiana district. With this, death count reached 16,640 including a fatality which was not reported earlier, it said.
Among the fresh cases, Pathankot reported 14 cases, followed by nine in Jalandhar and seven in Patiala.
The number of active cases rose to 392 from 378 on Sunday, the bulletin said.
Twenty-seven more people recovered from the infection, taking the number of those who have been cured to 5,87,247, it said.
The Union Territory Chandigarh reported seven COVID-19 cases, taking the total count to 65,781.
The toll figure remained 1,078 with no Covid-related death being reported in the city in the past 24-hours, the bulletin said.
The number of active cases in the city was 103 while the number of cured persons is 64,600.
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