Amarinder hits out at Centre over virus remarks

‘State conducting more tests than national average’

Amid Centre’s criticism of his government’s management of COVID-19 surge, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said not only was the State consistently conducting more tests per million than the national average, but the situation would have perhaps been better had the Central government not delayed opening up of vaccination for 45-plus age group. “Had the Central government acceded the State’s request for allowing vaccination of all 50-plus category population earlier, the situation would perhaps have been better,” he said. He said the State government had been repeatedly requesting the Centre that the current strategy of immunisation needed a review. Capt. Amarinder also took note of the delay in receiving reports of genome sequencing. “Of the 874 samples sent, only 588 reports have been received so far, of which 411 samples were found positive for B.1.1.7 U.K. variant and 2 positive for N440K. The implication needs to be looked into and appropriate advice is required to be shared with the State,” the Chief Minister urged the Centre.