Both jabs must for access to public places: Haryana govt
CHANDIGARH: Only fully vaccinated adults will be allowed access to public spaces such as shopping malls, restaurants and cinema halls in Haryana from January 1, the state’s health and home minister Anil Vij said on Wednesday, adding that vaccines are the biggest protection from Covid-19.
Replying to a question in the winter session of the Haryana Assembly, Vij said, “From January 1, 2022, any eligible person who has not taken both doses of Covid vaccine will not be permitted in malls, hotels, restaurants, marriage palaces, cinema halls, offices, banks or any such places that attracts crowds.”
An order was issued in this regard by additional chief secretary, health, government of Haryana, Rajeev Arora. According to the order, deputy commissioners (DCs) of all 22 districts in the state have been asked to direct head of offices or in-charge to constitute teams to ensure that only fully vaccinated people are allowed access to public places. The DCs have also been asked to constitute multi-disciplinary teams to check the implementation of the restrictions.
The move is aimed at pushing reluctant or indifferent individuals to get the second shot of Covid-19 vaccine. Till Wednesday, Haryana has vaccinated around 93.5% of its eligible population with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine while 61% adults have been fully vaccinated. Neighbouring Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand have a better second dose coverage than Haryana.
The order said that a large number of beneficiaries were due and overdue for long for inoculation of second dose of coronavirus vaccine. “New variants of coronavirus are emerging frequently and recently Omicron cases have shown an upward trend. Looking into the current scenario, steps need to be taken for increasing coverage of vaccination to mitigate spread of coronavirus,” the order said.
As per the order issued on Wednesday, only fully vaccinated persons will be allowed entry in public places like private and public sector banks, religious places, petrol and CNG stations, LPG cylinder collection centres, sugar mills, milk booths, ration shops restaurants, bars, hotels, grain and vegetable markets, departmental stores, liquor and wine shops, shopping malls and complexes, cinema halls, Haats, local market and places of public gathering.
To travel from bus stands and railways stations, people will have to get both doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Besides, parks, gym and fitness centres have also been directed to allow only fully vaccinated individuals.
ACS, health, Rajeev Arora said those allowing unvaccinated persons access in shops, malls cinemas etc. would be booked under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act. A separate order by the State Disaster Management Authority will be issued to this effect.