Administrator launches COVA Chd App

Orders strict enforcement of COVID guidelines; overcrowding to be strictly checked

The Voice of Chandigarh News:

In order to provide the public handy access to all the meaningful information on COVID, the Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday launched COVA Chd App. COVA Chd is Corona Virus Alert App and also provides citizens with preventive care information and other government advisories related to COVID-19.

Stressing upon the need for active surveillance, Purohit said that maximum people should install this App on their cell phones. The App on one hand assists COVID Positive patients in self health inspection and updates them on necessary utilities including details of essential commodities vendors, COVID Care Centers, hospitals and labs in their vicinity. On the other hand, the App assists Health Department in patient management, contract tracing, sample collection and management of home quarantine patients. The geo-fencing feature of the APP helps to track and trace the patient and also assist in keeping a tab over quarantine-jumpers.

Appreciating UT Administration’s effort to arrest the spread of COVID by increasing the testing three-fold, taking the testing figures to 5000 a day as against 1200 t0 1500 hundred a day, Shri Purohit hoped that the early detection followed by quick isolation would be helpful in checking the spread of the virus.

Ordering strict enforcement of COVID guidelines/restrictions, Purohit said that intensive containment and active surveillance should continue, unabated. He said that it has been brought into this notice that COVID protocols are being violated in certain markets/mandis. He asked DGP to intensity challaning and enforce strict COVID protocol in the city. He cautioned that negligence in enforcement will not be tolerated and directed all concerned that public mingling and overcrowding be strictly checked. He also highlighted the need to ensure effective usage of masks. Expressing satisfaction over the rate of vaccination, the Administrator, UT said that vaccination is the critical pillar of our COVID response; we should ensure cent percent vaccination of all eligible at the earliest. As of now vaccination is being carried out at 89 different sites of the city and first dose has been administered to 124.70% and second dose to 97.23% targeted population in above 18 years category, whereas 50.38% population (15-18 years) has been jabbed. Making an appeal to the public, Shri Purohit said that as of now the common public perception is that COVID infection in the ongoing wave is ‘Mild’. He said that lesson learnt from the past experience is that COVID scenario is fluid; it is dynamic and keeps evolving. So, we should not lower our guard, reiterated Purohit.

To tackle the issue of incorrect contact details provided by people during testing leading to a cumbersome contact tracing process, the Administrator directed Secretary Health to resolve the matter by issuing strict instructions to the testing centres.

Updating the current COVID scenario, the officers of the Tricity informed that Mohali has 4363 active cases, Panchkula has 2343 active cases while UT, Chandigarh has 4808 active cases.

In the meanwhile, the consensus was evolved in the meeting that the Hotels/Restaurants/café/coffee shops/eating places would be allowed to function up to 10.00 PM. However, kitchens of these premises will be allowed to remain open up to 11.00 PM and no home delivery is allowed after 12.00 midnight.

Moreover, persons with disabilities and pregnant women employees in government offices in Chandigarh shall be exempted from attending office but are required to work from home.

Public Transport including Bus, Taxi, Auto Rickshaw etc. will run only with their permitted seating capacity. In case of violations, strict action under appropriate law will be taken.