DW BUREAU / Chandigarh The Punjab government Saturday announced that from Monday the state will allow entry to only those who are either fully vaccinated against coronavirus or have a negative RT-PCR report. The directions, issued after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh held a Covid review meeting here, also said there will be strict monitoring of people coming from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. According to an official statement, Singh expressed concern about the positivity rate in Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the country, which probably also pushed Punjab's positivity rate marginally up to 0.2 per cent in the last week with reproduction number going up to 1.05 per cent. A Cambridge study has also predicted that cases are likely to double in the next 64 days, he warned, announcing new restrictions in addition to those already in force. These will apply to all those entering Punjab by road, rail or air, the chief minister said, adding if a person does not fulfil either of the criteria, he/she will have to undergo RAT (rapid antigen test) unless they recently recovered from Covid. Amid reports of Covid cases from schools, the CM also directed that only fully vaccinated teaching and non-teaching staff, or those recently recovered from Covid, physically teach in schools and colleges. Online learning option will remain available to all children, he said. Since August 9, as many as 41 students and one staff member in government schools have tested positive. He further ordered prioritisation of teachers and non-teaching staff for vaccination, with special camps to be held to ensure that all are covered with the first dose within this month and those due for their second also be given due attention. Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu suggested reducing the gap between the two doses to expeditiously administer the second dose to teachers and other school staff. (editor@dailyworld.in)