Punjab eases Covid-19 lockdown as daily cases decline: All you need to know

As Punjab's coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positivity rate dropped to two per cent on Tuesday, the Amarinder Singh-led government announced that the lockdown imposed in the state to arrest the spread of Covid-19 will be eased beginning Wednesday.

The fresh guidelines, issued on Tuesday, will be in effect till June 25.

The government said a night curfew will be in place daily from 8pm to 5am across the state and a weekend curfew will be imposed from 8pm on Saturday till 5am on Monday.

Earlier, the night curfew was in force from 7pm to 6am.

Here is all you need to know about the restrictions in Punjab:

-- All restaurants, including those in hotels, cafes, coffee shops, fast food outlets, dhabas, cinema halls and gyms will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity if all employees working at these places have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

-Air-conditioned buses can also ply with 50% of seating capacity.

-- Bars, pubs and 'ahatas' (taverns) will remain closed.

-- All educational institutions including schools and colleges will also remain shut.

-- District authorities have been instructed to gauge the Covid-19 situation in their areas and come to a decision regarding the timings non-essential shops can stay open, including on Sunday.

-- These authorities are to ensure strict implementation of all directives of the Union home ministry and state government on Covid-appropriate behaviour such as observing social distancing and wearing of face masks.

Punjab on Tuesday reported 38 Covid-19 deaths and 642 fresh cases, taking the state’s infection count to 589,153, according to a state health bulletin. So far, the infection has killed 15,650 people in the state. The rate of the infection has been going down in the state after it hit the peak of its second wave on May 8, with 9,100 cases.