Chandigarh, Mar 6 (IANS): Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan chaired a high-level meeting here on Saturday to discuss ways to contain the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, which is expected to witness a spike of 3,000 cases per day by the end of March.

Mahajan said the second wave has started and all the Deputy Commissioners and Police Chiefs must ensure that large gatherings like marriages, religious events and social functions should be restricted as per the guidelines of the government.

She said that Covid monitors should be deputed at wedding venues and other places of gatherings.

The Chief Secretary said that schools will continue with the regular classes as the overall positivity rate was low, adding that the teachers should be encouraged to get themselves tested and those eligible must be vaccinated as frontline workers on priority.

Mahajan also expressed concern over steep rise in coronavirus cases across nine districts in the last two weeks.

Principal Secretary (Health) Hussan Lal said that 238,367 persons have been administered the first dose of vaccine.

Lal added that models predict surge in number of cases by mid-March and by the end of the month, it is projected to spike to 3,000 per day.