Centre asks States,UTs to ramp up vaccination, enforce containment measures

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 24, Dec 2021

Centre has advised States and Union Territories to not let their guard down and maintain their preparedness for fighting COVID in view of the new Omicron variant. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reviewed public health preparedness of the states for fighting COVID along with progress of vaccination with State Health Secretaries and National Health Mission MDs through video conference yesterday.

He re-emphasised the five-fold strategy of containment, testing and surveillance, clinical management, COVID Safe behaviour and vaccination. States were asked to keep a close and strict watch on number of Delta and Omicron cases in all districts, case positivity, doubling rate, and new emerging clusters and initiate containment in these areas.

They were advised to impose night curfews and ensure strict regulation of large gatherings, especially ahead of the forthcoming festivities. They were also asked to promptly notify “Containment Zones”, and  “Buffer Zones” in case in new clusters of Covid positive cases. States going in for elections in the near future were asked to exponentially ramp up the vaccination, especially in the low coverage districts to protect the vulnerable population.

States were urged to ensure hundred percent coverage of left out first and second dose eligible beneficiaries in an accelerated manner.

The Union Health Secretary reiterated that local containment measures are to be put in place by the district and local administration when either the test positivity increases beyond 10 percent or occupancy of oxygenated beds increases beyond 40 percent. States were advised that any restriction must be enforced for minimum of 14 days.

The existing National Clinical Management Protocol remains unchanged for Omicron.

Sources : News On Air