Punjab govt eases Covid-19 curbs, lifts weekend curfew

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also ordered the opening of bars, cinema halls, restaurants, spas, swimming pools, gyms, malls, sports complexes, museums and zoos etc., with staff and visitors having taken at least 1 dose each of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Doing away with most of the Covid restrictions, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday ordered the lifting of weekend and night curfew in the state. He also allowed gatherings of 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors from Monday.

The step by the government comes after the state’s Covid positivity rate slid to 0.4 per cent.

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Singh also ordered the opening of bars, cinema halls, restaurants, spas, swimming pools, gyms, malls, sports complexes, museums and zoos etc., subject to staff and visitors having taken at least 1 dose each of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Though schools will continue to remain closed, colleges, coaching centres and all other institutions of higher learning are allowed, subject to a certificate having been submitted saying that all teaching, non-teaching staff and students have been given at least one dose of the vaccines, at least 2 weeks ago.

Singh, who reviewed the state’s Covid-19 situation virtually, said that another review will be done on July 20. He also directed officials to ensure strict use of masks and directed the DGP to challan political leaders violating Covid norms while holding rallies and protest meetings.

During the meeting, Heath Secretary Hussan Lal said that four districts in the state have shown positivity of 1 or less than 1 per cent, however, adding that districts such as Ludhiana, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Firozpur and Ropar need monitoring.

Referring to cases of Mucormycosis (Black Fungus), which has been reported in 623 patients as of July 8, Singh asked the health department to work out a proposal for supporting and helping in the treatment of such patients. Of the 623 cases, 67 are from outside the state, Lal informed during the meeting, adding that 337 patients were undergoing treatment and 154 have been discharged, while 51 patients died.

‘Step up genome sequencing’

The chief minister also asked concerned departments to step up the Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to expeditiously identify cases of new Covid variant and to fast track the project for execution of the MoU with ICMR for Regional Institute of Virology, Mohali.


Though no fresh cases of Delta Plus variant (apart from two reported earlier based on May sampling) have been identified in the state, Singh directed that WGS lab at GMCH Patiala, coming up with the support of PATH, must become functional by the end of this month.

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