19 covid containment zones setup in 8 dists: Balbir Sidhu

In a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Punjab government has implemented a stringent containment strategy under which 19 containment zones have been established

In a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Punjab government has implemented a stringent containment strategy under which 19 containment zones have been established in eight districts with population of around 25,000.

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State health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said these containment zones are clearly demarcated as a street or two adjoining streets, a mohalla or a residential society in urban areas.

“Containment as well as micro-containment zones depend on the total number of Covid-19 cases in the area so as to ensure proper utilisation of manpower to conduct screening, tracing, testing and counselling of all high-risk contacts,” he said.

Sidhu said that in rural areas, it can encompass the whole village or be limited to a part of village to focus on effective containment of smaller/limited areas. He said that early identification has proved successful in containing spread of an infection.

The health department has issued instructions to civil surgeons that high risk patients will not be admitted at covid care centres (CCC). “Patients at CCCs will be shifted to covid health centres only if they are mild to moderately symptomatic,” said the minister.