The state is running out of Covishield vaccines: CM Captain Amarinder Singh

Amarinder Singh ordered the COVID-19 prohibitions to be extended until July 10, with certain further relaxations

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday renewed his call for the Centre to deliver additional vaccinations, so that the whole 18-45 aged population may be vaccinated within the next two months in view of the shortage of Covishield vaccines.

The stock of Covaxin is also limited to just 1,12,821 doses in the state.

The statement was made by Chief Minister’s Office on Tuesday, saying, “With the state running out of Covishield vaccines and a Covaxin stock of just 1,12,821 doses, CM @Capt_Amarinder Singh has reiterated the demand for supply of more vaccines by the Centre to vaccinate the entire 18-45 population to complete the vaccination in the next two months.”

Following the reported cases of the Delta Plus variant, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered the COVID-19 prohibitions to be extended until July 10, with certain further relaxations.

“With cases of Delta Plus variant coming to light, Chief Minister @Capt_Amarinder Singh ordered an extension of the #COVID restrictions till July 10, with certain more relaxations, including opening bars, pubs, and ahatas with 50% capacity, beginning July 1,” the CMO Punjab said.

Skill Development Centres and Universities have also been allowed to open conditional to the staff and students having taken at least one dose of vaccine. IELTS coaching institutes were already allowed to be opened, subject to students and staff having taken at least one dose of vaccine.

Announcing the relaxations at a high-level Covid review meeting, the Chief Minister made it clear that the bars, pubs and ahatas would have to strictly maintain social distancing protocols, and waiters/servers/other employees should have taken at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. He made it clear that it would be the responsibility of the owners to ensure that the conditions are met.

Expressing satisfaction over the decline in positivity to less than 1%, with overall fall in active cases, the Chief Minister noted that the positivity rate in some districts still remained over 1%. Further, the finding of Delta plus variant was a matter of concern, making it essential to continue with the curbs, he stressed.

On the Black Fungus (Mucormycosis), the Chief Minister noted that Punjab has had much fewer cases than most other states, including Haryana, and Delhi, which not only saw more cases but more than three times the deaths in Punjab.

The Chief Minister, however, said it was unfortunate that 51 people had died due to black fungus in the state.