CHANDIGARH: Coming next week, all those visiting Punjab from Delhi and the National Capital Region will have to register themselves either on the Punjab government’s COVA app or their portal. Personal details such as the address, purpose of visit and mobile phone number have to be shared while disclosing if they have any kind of Covid-19 symptom.
While those arriving by road in their own vehicles have to display the registration certificate on their car windscreen, those visiting the state by air or train have to show the proof of registration at the point of entry.
“The purpose of this app is to track people, sensitise them and share with them protective and preventive measures to be adopted against Covid. It also informs people about government advisories and notifications related to the coronavirus,” an official said.
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh made it clear that no vehicle would be allowed to enter the state without the registration certificate.
He said in view of the large number of people arriving every day from Delhi and NCR, where coronavirus cases are high, all those entering Punjab would have to undergo home quarantine.
Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan said private players would be roped in to ensure implementation of home quarantine with phone-based monitoring and regular visits.
Mahajan said those without the registration certificate on their car screens would be stopped and made to register on the spot at the border before being allowed in, adding that with the requirement of passes done away with in Unlock 2.0, e-registration would help in monitoring and tracking incoming domestic travellers.
The CM gave the nod for launching a pilot project for rapid antigen testing. On successful completion of the pilot rapid antigen project, which will cover a minimum of 1,000 tests, testing would be done on migrants coming back to the state to work in industries or agricultural fields.
The state government would procure rapid antigen testing kits to scale up its Covid testing capacity, which is even now higher than the Central government mandate of 140 tests per million per day in regions with positivity factor of less than 10 per cent.
With a positivity rate of just 2 per cent, Punjab is already conducting 242 tests per million a day as part of its comprehensive strategy to contain the pandemic.