DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan on Saturday directed all deputy commissioners and district police chiefs to implement coronavirus guidelines strictly in the wake of a recent surge in infections in the state. Mahajan issued the directions during a meeting over the state's preparedness for the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official statement. "The second wave of the disease has already started and all the DCs and police chiefs must ensure that large gatherings like marriages, religious events and social functions be restricted as per the guidelines of the government and COVID monitors should be deputed at marriage palaces and other places of gatherings," she said. Mahajan also emphasised upon the detailed assessment of health care facilities to effectively combat the second wave. She asked the officers to quickly undertake an analysis of positivity rate in towns where civic body elections were held recently to assess the impact of crowding. She said as the overall positivity rate in schools is low, there is no need to close them. She, however, added that schoolteachers should be encouraged to get themselves tested and eligible teachers must be vaccinated as frontline workers. She expressed concern that the number of infections has increased in the past two weeks in nine districts of the state. She said a major thrust needs to be given on awareness regarding COVID appropriate behaviours. Hussan Lal, Principal Secretary (Health), said 2,38,367 people have already been given the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine with no major adverse events following immunisation. He told the chief secretary that there could be a further surge in the number of cases starting mid-March with 3,000 cases per day by March-end. Punjab on Saturday imposed a night curfew in Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts. (editor@dailyworld.in)