Punjab eases curbs; cinemas, gyms and restaurants to open from June 16

New Delhi, June 15: With the number of COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 2 per cent, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday announced easing of the restrictions, allowing restaurants and other eating joints to open at 50 per cent capacity beginning Wednesday.

Under the new guidelines, which will remain in effect till June 25 when they will be again reviewed, daily night curfew will be in place from 8 pm to 5 am, with weekend curfew from 8.00 pm on Saturday upto 5.00 am on Monday.

Chairing a high-level virtual COVID-19 review meeting, the Chief Minister ordered opening of all restaurants (including in hotels), Cafes, Coffee Shops, fast food outlets, Dhabas etc., Cinemas, Gyms at maximum 50 per cent of capacity, subject to all their employees having received at least one dose of vaccination.

Giving details of curfew exemptions, an official spokesperson later said that the following activities/establishments shall, subject to observing COVID appropriate behaviour by all concerned, remain exempted from COVID restrictions:

a. Hospitals, veterinary hospitals and all establishments, both in public and private sector, related to manufacture and supply of all medicines and medical equipment. Including the manufacturing & distribution units such as dispensaries, chemist & pharmacy(including Jan Aushadhi Kendras), laboratories, pharmaceutical research labs, clinics, nursing homes, ambulances etc.

b. Shops dealing with supply of essential goods, milk, poultry and dairy products like bread, eggs, meat etc and vegetables, fruits etc.

c. Shops/establishments selling industrial materials including raw materials, intermediaries as well as shops/establishments engaged in export and import activities.

d. Activities /establishments related to fisheries such as fish, meat and its products including supply of fish seeds

e. To and fro' movement of passengers travelling by air, trains and buses on production of travel documents. Inter and intra state movement of all vehicles/persons carrying essential and non-essential goods.

f. Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment etc. through E-Commerce.

g. Construction activities in both urban and rural areas.

h. Agricultural including procurement, horticultural, animal husbandry and veterinary services.

i. Vaccinations out-reach camps.