As 3rd wave fear lurking, States told to monitor rise of Covid among kids
As schools reopen gradually in various States, the Centre on Saturday asked the respective authorities to monitor any rising Covid infection trends among children and strengthen the public health response infrastructure, including medical oxygen plants, ICU, and hospital facilities and essential medicine stocking.
The suggestions come amid fear of a third Covid-19 wave as at least 70 districts in 15 States have become a cause of concern in terms of rising Covid-19 cases.
At a review meeting with States on Saturday, the Government noted that around 34 of these districts have a positivity rate exceeding 10 per cent, and in 36 districts the rate hovers between 5 and 10 percent. Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba, who chaired the meeting, said there was no room for complacency and called for strict enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour,
especially in the wake of upcoming festivities.
He asked the States to implement intensive containment and active surveillance in clusters reporting high cases and not delay the imposition of restrictions, increase testing while maintaining RT-PCR ratio and promptly commission pressure swing adsorption plants, oxygen cylinders, concentrators and ventilators.
“States were also told to undertake regular reviews for priority implementation of emergency response package II to ensure preparedness with enough headroom, monitor infection spread in children considering that a few States have opened schools, monitor breakthrough infections post-vaccination and analyse the emerging evidence, monitor mutations including sending sufficient samples for genome sequencing,” the Government said in a statement here.
The Centre also asked States to accelerate the speed and coverage of vaccination and take necessary measures for the prevention and control of dengue and vector-borne diseases.
States were also guided on the control of Serotype-II Dengue in 11 States, including Haryana.
Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, V K Paul, member (Health), NITI Aayog, chief secretaries, additional chief secretaries (Health), principal secretaries (Health), municipal commissioners, and district collectors attended the meeting.
“We hope that with increased availability of vaccine doses, the pace of vaccination will be maintained. There is no room for complacency. There is a strict need to enforce Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB),” Gauba said.
Drawing examples from other countries that saw multiple peaks of Covid-19, the Government expressed concern over certain pockets in the country reporting high test positivity and advised States to undertake granular analysis of their Covid trajectory, ramp up their health infrastructure, undertake the stocking of essential medicine and augment human resources at the earliest, to meet any potential surge in cases.
Bhsuhan also highlighted the emerging challenge of Serotype-II Dengue in 11 States which is associated with more cases and more complications than other forms of the disease.
He suggested the States undertake steps like early detection of cases, operationalisation of fever helplines, adequate stocking of testing kits, larvicides and medicines, deployment of rapid response teams for prompt investigation and necessary public health action like fever survey, contact tracing, vector control, alerting blood banks for maintaining adequate stocks of blood and blood components, especially platelets.
“In view of the forthcoming festival season, States were directed to ensure all necessary precautions and effective enforcement for the avoidance of mass gathering and congested closed spaces. Existing guidelines regarding malls, local markets, and places of worship are to be strictly followed,” said the Government in a statement.
