Punjab govt gives nod to launch a pilot project for COVID-19 rapid antigen testing

The Punjab government on Friday gave its nod to launch a pilot project for testing COVID-19 rapid antigen in the coming week. As per a state government release, once the rapid antigen pilot project is completed successfully, it would be tested on the migrants returning to the state as industries reopen and work in the paddy fields resume. At least 1,000 tests will be conducted under the pilot project.

"The state government will procure rapid antigen testing kits to scale up its COVID-19 testing capacity. With positivity rate of just 2 per cent, Punjab is already conducting 242 tests/million/day as part of its comprehensive strategy to check further spread of the pandemic," the release said.

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Stringent monitoring at entrants

An e-registration will be done to strictly monitor thousands of people coming from the high-risk region of Delhi every day. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has directed that no vehicle should be allowed to enter Punjab without a strict monitoring. Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan assured that all entrants will be monitered strictly, and private players have been roped in to ensure implementation of home quarantine using technology-based monitoring and regular visits.

Everyone entering Punjab should mandatorily register themselves either on the COVA app or the government web portal, and must carry the registration certificate with bar code on the vehicle windscreen.

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(With agency inputs)

(Image credits: PTI)