Chandigarh, August 12: In order to ensure that the COVID situation remains under control and the virus does not spread again in the state, Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan has asked departments concerned to step up RT-PCR testing and to conduct at least 10,000 RT-PCR tests related to schools daily.

She asked the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that only fully vaccinated teaching and non-teaching staff is allowed to attend the schools.

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She said a target of 40,000 samples per day must be achieved and testing shall be further increased if COVID cases rise, according to an official release.

Chairing a meeting to review the COVID situation in the state with the senior officials of the Health, Medical Education, School Education departments and all deputy commissioners, the Chief Secretary expressed concern over the movement of people to Punjab from neighbouring states, where the virus cases were again on the rise.

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She asked the officials concerned to keep a close watch on the positivity rate ahead of the festival season when extra vigil was required to prevent the surge of virus.

Instructing all the districts to continue aggressive testing and contact tracing and testing to check the spread of the pandemic, she said epidemiologists have been appointed in all the districts and all-out efforts should be made to thwart the possible third COVID-19 wave.

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