Upgrading its armour against rising COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to make available the facility of genome sequencing in major medical institutions of Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Ghaziabad and Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow.

Addressing a high-level meeting in Lucknow on Tuesday, Yogi said, “Genome sequencing is being done in many institutions of the state for accurate identification of novel coronavirus variants. Observing the rise in new cases, it is necessary to increase the means of genome sequencing. Besides, Covid Help Desk should be made functional with immediate effect in the premises of all government, semi-government, private, trust, institutions, companies, educational institutions, offices and industrial units of the state. Daycare centres should also be established as per the need. Also Integrated Covid Command and Control Centre (ICCC) set up in all districts of the state should be kept active 24×7 and regular meetings should be convened there as before.”

Asking officials to make sure citizens were constantly made aware of preventive measures, the chief minister said, “The situation in all the districts is being monitored closely. Precaution is the best first aid measure and therefore, people should follow the mantra of SMS (sanitization, mask and social distancing). I urge the people not to panic unnecessarily over the situation… the officials should provide correct and proper inputs on the situation.”

"Monitoring committees have played an effective role in the fight against the pandemic so far. By activating these, door-to-door vaccination status should be surveyed and those people who are yet to be vaccinated should be given the jabs at the earliest," he said.