Lucknow, March 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Uttar Pradesh government will run a 15-day "focused sampling" drive from March 13 to 27, in view of the upcoming festivals like Shivratri and Holi.
According to Amit Mohan Prasad, additional chief secretary, health, the focus of the drive will be migrant workers and people coming from other states for the festive season.
"During Holi, people from other states and areas come back to their homes to celebrate. There is a lot of movement during this period," he said.
Those included in the focused drive would be persons returning from states having a high rate of infection, people who sell colours and water guns, those working in restaurants and 'dhabas' (eateries) and also those involved in the liquor and 'bhang' shops, said the official.
A senior health official said that the government was mulling a proposal to ban Holi Milan programmes and Kavi Sammelans that usually attract huge crowds and people, these functions, stand in close proximity.
"We have not yet decided because ensuring social distancing at such functions is near impossible. We may allow some to be held with strict safety protocols," official said.
Meanwhile, the government spokesman said that Uttar Pradesh had become the first in the country to administer 20 lakh doses of the vaccine.
While over 14.85 lakh shots were given in the first phase, in the second phase for persons above 60 and those between 45 and 60, doses had been administered to over 5.29 lakh persons.
Source: IANS
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