AMRITSAR: Despite a surge in cases of Covid-19 — especially the ‘variant of concern’ Omicron — the usual fun and frolic are likely to mark the New Year celebrations on Friday midnight in absence of any prohibitory orders or ban on bashes in Punjab's Amritsar district.
The daily Beating Retreat ceremony — popularly known as the flag-lowering ceremony at Attari international border — continues to attract thousands of visitors every day.
Amritsar police commissioner Sukhchain Singh Gill said there were no restrictions on New Year Eve functions, but the administration would ensure that all the guidelines were adhered to.
A majority of hotels, restaurants and lounges are organizing New Year Eve functions while there are also a few who have not arranged any special New Year bashes, but didn’t even cancel their routine functions which witness large gatherings.
Haveli restaurant general manager Shamsher Singh said it had cancelled the New Year Eve programme due to Covid-19 pandemic.
”But our staff fully abides by the Covid-19 protocol and also requests the guests to follow the norms, including wearing masks and maintaining social distance etc," he said.
Managing director of a star category hotel said, “our six separate units, including Kitti Rooms, Coffee Rooms etc, are all booked, but we have not arranged any special New Year party."
He said all the guests had been asked to carry Covid-19 vaccination certificates with them.
Learning from the previous experiences, assistant civil surgeon Dr Amarjit Singh said that they had an arrangement for 1,516 Covid beds including for the pediatric patients.
Twenty-two hospitals had their own oxygen plants to meet the oxygen requirement in case of an emergency.
He informed that the Covid-19 vaccination of over one lakh teenage youths between the age of 13 and 18 in Amritsar district would begin from January 3.
Dr HS Nagpal of Harjej Hospital wondered why the district administration didn’t take preventive measures in wake of New Year's eve parties.
“At least the government should have enforced implementation of Covid-19 protocol,“ he said.
When asked about the preparedness to tackle the possible Covid-19 wave, Nagpal said, “The district administration and our preparedness are better than the previous surge."
Additional district magistrate Ruhee Dugg said that various measures would be introduced from January 15.
Under the directions, those who have not taken both the jabs would remain at their residence and are advised to not visit public places, markets, functions, religious places, etc.
Hotels, restaurants, malls, private and government sector banks, etc had also been directed to allow only fully vaccinated persons.
