COVID: Punjab issues fresh norms, makes registration on COVA app mandatory for travelers

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to grapple the nation, Punjab government has issued an advisory for all inbound persons travelling to the state, which will be applicable from July 7. By uploading the COVA app on mobile phone, the person has to register himself and each member of his family travelling with him or her.

An official statement from the Chief Minister's Office stated that all travellers need to download e-registration slip and paste it on the windscreen of his/her vehicle or carry it with him/her on mobile if travelling in public transport or travelling by rail/air.

"In accordance with the advisory, any person whether major or minor coming to Punjab via any mode - road, rail or air - shall henceforth, and till further orders, would be medically screened when he/she enters Punjab and will be required to e-register himself/herself through any of the following means before starting his/her journey to Punjab," read a statement.

"After that, there is a need to download e-registration slip and pasting it on the windscreen of his/her vehicle or carry it with him/her on mobile if travelling in public transport or travelling by rail/air or by logging on to the portal and then e-registering all members of a family travelling with him to Punjab," it said.

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In case any inbound traveller does not undertake the step, then he/she would be asked at border, rail, airport check post while entering Punjab to cooperate with the team of the Punjab government who would undertake the data capturing process there at the spot itself. Since such a process may take a lot of time hence, the inbound people are requested to follow the instructions.

For international travellers, the quarantine would be institutional for the first seven days and home for the next seven days, the statement added. Any violation of these instructions will make violators liable for penal action. 

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Punjab COVID count crosses 6000 mark

Meanwhile, Punjab on Saturday reported five more fatalities due to COVID-19, taking the death toll to 162 while 172 fresh cases pushed the tally to 6,109 in the state, according to a medical bulletin. Two deaths were reported in Moga and one each in Mohali, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar, the bulletin said.

Among the new cases, 61 were reported in Jalandhar, one of the districts worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic, followed by 46 in Ludhiana; 16 in Sangrur; nine in Amritsar; six in Bathinda; five each in Barnala, Ferozepur and Mohali; three each in Patiala and Kapurthala; two each in Moga, Gurdaspur and Pathankot and one each in Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Fazilka, and Mansa.

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