Punjab to send unvaccinated govt staff on compulsory leave-CM Singh

Punjab government employees failing to take even the first dose of Covid vaccine for any reason other than medical will be compulsorily sent on leave after September 15. The stringent measure was imposed as a preventive measure against the viral disease, and to ensure that vaccinated individuals do not have to pay the price for others' laxity. Chief Minister Amrinder Singh on Friday also ordered an extension of the existing Covid restrictions in the state till September 30 in view of the upcoming festival season.

At a high-level virtual Covid review meeting, Singh cited the inoculation and infection data to highlight vaccine efficacy. Special efforts were taken to reach out to Government employees, and those who continue to avoid getting vaccinated will now be asked to go on leave till they get the first dose, the CMO said in a release. Chief Minister Singh also allowed teaching and non-teaching school staff who had taken at least one dose over a month ago, to resume duties, subject to submission of weekly negative RT-PCR test reports. However, all those with co-morbidities will only be allowed once they are fully vaccinated, he added.

The Chief Minister noted with satisfaction that the situation in schools had remained under control as a result of aggressive testing. As many as 3,21,969 school students along with 33,854 teaching and non-teaching staff samples were collected last month across 5,799 schools in Punjab. Of these 158 cases have tested positive so far, accounting for a positivity rate of only 0.05 percent, he said. Punjab had already vaccinated more than 57 % of its eligible population, with the first dose being administered to 1.18 crore and both doses to 37.81 lakh people, Captain Amarinder Singh ordered a further intensification of the vaccination drive. Teachers, parents of young children, their parents, and vendors should be given priority for inoculation against Coronavirus, he directed.