Chandigarh makes -ve RTPCR or jab certificate mandatory for weddings

For weddings in Chandigarh, now it is going to be mandatory to produce a negative RT-PCR test not older than 72 hours or a vaccine dose certificate to attend or participate in the wedding. This would be applicable to guests and staff both. These directions were passed by the UT Administration here on Tuesday. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore. Along with making this mandatory, the UT also increased the number of maximum guests at the wedding.

“The number of guests allowed for special gatherings like weddings would be increased to 100 or 50% capacity of the banquet hall etc., whichever is less. Further it would be mandatory for all guests and staff of the hotel/banquet hall to have received at least one dose of vaccine or to have a negative RTPCR report of last 72 hours,” it was said in a statement. Hoteliers, however, said that the decision doesn’t seem to be practically possible.

M P S Chawla, owner of Hotel Altius, said, “Can a waiter stop a guest like this? What will he say that husband is allowed inside the wedding and wife is not because she doesn’t have any negative RTPCR test report or vaccination certificate? Can a waiter tell the guests that two of the four family members have to sit outside and can’t participate?”

Some time back, the UT had passed orders that gym or club owners must allow only vaccinated people. But, the directions seemed to be in the air without implementation on the ground.