New Delhi: The Center on Thursday advised states to rapidly scale up COVID vaccination to protect vulnerable populations in the wake of a steady rise in cases of the ‘micron’ form of coronavirus in India, where assembly elections are likely to be held in the next few months.
According to a statement by the Union Health Ministry, States and Union Territories have been advised to remain vigilant and monitor case positivity, doubling rate and cluster of new cases and consider imposing restrictions at the local level before Christmas and New Year. Has been.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, while reviewing the progress of immunization as well as the public health preparedness of the states to deal with the COVID-19 and omicron pattern, advised the states to enhance their preparedness to combat the pandemic. Keep it complete
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He reiterated that measures such as local containment zones should be implemented when either the test infection rate exceeds 10 percent or more than 40 percent of oxygen beds are filled with patients, the statement said. Bhushan said, “However, depending on the local location and population characteristics like density and keeping in mind the increasing cases of omicron, the states and union territories can take preventive measures and impose restrictions even before these limits are reached.” can.”
States are advised that any restrictions should be enforced for a minimum period of 14 days. The Health Secretary said that the symptoms of infection caused by Omicron form are similar to that of common cold. With regard to immunization, the states have been advised to ensure 100% immunization of the eligible beneficiaries of the missed first and second doses and pay special attention to the districts where the first and second dose coverage is less than the national average.
Bhushan told the meeting that the states where elections are going to be held in the next few months, especially in the low coverage districts, need to accelerate vaccination. On containment strategies, states have been advised to enforce night curfew, ensure strict regulation of large gatherings and immediately notify ‘containment zones’ when new clusters of COVID cases emerge.(agency)