Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday said casual approach of the people particularly in social gatherings such as marriages etc. has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of covid-19 patients, announcing that the State Government has now decided to restrict the number of persons on all the social gatherings to 50 persons.

He said that all the political functions would be held virtually and restriction on numbers would be implemented in letter and spirit in such functions.

Presiding over a meeting through video conferencing with the Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Chief Medical Officers, Principals and Medical Superintendents of various Government Medical Colleges of the State from Shimla, the chief minister expressed concern over the increase in number of Covid-19 cases as well as deaths of Covid-19 patients in the State and directed the officers to take effective steps to increase  the bed capacities in their respective districts.

The Chief Minister said the State Government has decided to enforce five days office and sixth day work from home for all the Government employees of the State till 31st December to break the chain of this virus. He said that the State Government would also consider imposing curfew from 9 pm to 6 am in the four districts, viz. Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Kangra, adding that the situation would be reviewed from time to time.

Thakur said the State Government has also decided to increase the bed capacity in all district, zonal and civil hospitals to facilitate patients and to meet out any eventuality.  He said that all the prefabricated Covid Centres coming up in the State would be completed at the earliest, pointing out that the Government of India has sanctioned seven oxygen plants for the State.

He directed the Deputy Commissioners to identify the land for the same so that they could be set up at the earliest.

He said that to ensure proper and effective management of hospitals, the Government had also decided to make foolproof arrangements in hospitals by designating a senior official as in-charge of Covid ward for better treatment of the patients. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to rope in private hospitals and laboratories for testing and treatment of Covid patients.

The Chief Minister said that proper protocol must be adopted for treatment of the asymptotic patients under home isolation, adding that such patients must be provided all required inputs for their proper medication. He said that adequate arrangements of pulse oximeters must be made for these patients so that they could regularly monitor oxygen levels in blood. He pointed out that it has been felt that the change in climate was also resulting in the fast spread of this virus, adding that senior doctors must ensure at least three rounds of the wards of covid-19 patients to instill confidence in the patients.

Thakur said that shortage of staff particularly in health institutions with more cases of Covid-19 patients would be met out by deploying adequate staff. He said that adequate para medical staff would also be made available in the health institutions to facilitate fast testing and tracing. He said that the casual approach of people and laxity in adhering to the laid down SOPs was a major reason for the spread of the virus, asking the officers to check this tendency and take remedial measures in this regard by enforcing the instructions of the Government issued from time to time.     

Health Minister Rajiv Saizal also gave his suggestions on the occasion. Chief Secretary Anil Khachi also felt the need for adopting a humane approach towards the Covid-19 patients. Secretary Health Amitabh Awasthi said effective steps would be taken to rationalise the staff in health institutions to provide adequate staff for treatment of Covid patients. 

Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister J.C. Sharma, Mission Director NHM Nipun Jindal, Principal IGMC Shimla Dr Rajneesh Pathania, Director Medical Education Dr Ravi Sharma and other officers attended the meeting.