A health worker administers a Covid-19 vaccine to a man in Srinagar | KO Photo By Abid Bhat
JAMMU- The Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam while chairing a high-level meeting to review the public health response to COVID-19 asked the administration to remain alert and tighten the implementation of existing control measures and SOPs to reverse the upward trend.
Considering the recent surge in the COVID infections, the Chief Secretary impressed upon the officers to strictly implement the strategy of testing, vaccination, strict control in containment zones and promotion of COVID appropriate behaviour among masses to prevent a further surge in the cases.
Informing that certain districts are showing very high positivity rate, the Chief Secretary asked the respective district administrations to ramp up testing in the identified target clusters and prioritize vaccination in the eligible population groups to address the worsening scenario. It was given out that 20-30% of the positive cases being reported are travellers who are being tested at the entry point itself and prevented from mingling with the general population.
It was informed that in the initial phases of COVID-19 vaccination, 75% of health workers, 78% of front line workers, and 38% of citizens above 45 years of age totalling 15,25,604 people have been vaccinated in Jammu and Kashmir with no reported case of any adversity. Districts Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Shopian, in Kashmir Division and Jammu, Kathua, Ramban, Samba, Udhampur in Jammu Division are the districts having over 40% of vaccination coverage amongst citizens above 45 years of age. The next phase of the vaccination for the 18-45 age group will cover approximately 65 lakh people.
To effectively deliver the vaccines at the grass-root level, Chief Secretary impressed upon greater coordination between the frontline workers of various departments including health, social welfare, school education, rural development, and housing and urban development.
He also urged people to participate in the vaccination drives and get vaccinated on priority to keep themselves and their families safe from the infection. DCs were asked to mobilize the targeted beneficiaries towards the vaccination process through the frontline workers- ASHAs, AWWs, ANMs, etc.
Further, it was informed that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has approved the establishment of 36 oxygen generation plants across the UT to make J&K self-sufficient in catering to the rising demand of oxygen. DCs were asked to ensure the early establishment and functioning of these plants under their respective jurisdictions.
Administrative Secretaries of the departments of Health & Medical Education, Disaster Management Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, besides Divisional Commissioners, Kashmir and Jammu, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), and Deputy Commissioners of all districts participated in the meeting.
Strict mask enforcement through volunteers
Meanwhile the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole Friday called for strict mask enforcement through volunteers in Kashmir to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The Div Com made these remarks while chairing a Covid- 19 review meeting here.
He directed concerned teams of NSS, NCC, NYC, SDRF and other volunteers to carry out rigorous Covid-19 SOPs awareness and mask enforcement across all districts of Kashmir.
He said that teams shall carry out the exercise separately and shall also strictly fine people for violation of SOPs.
He said while the Psychiatry department shall restart counselling assistance for the general public through various helpline numbers, the Physical Teachers of YSS department shall conduct virtual exercises particularly Yoga classes for boost of mental as well as physical health of students.
The Div Com also stressed on deployment of volunteers in designated hospitals as a manpower boost in various departments.
Emphasizing on immunity boosting awareness among the people, the Div Com instructed concerned to ensure hassle-free distribution of immunity boost medicine kits among the people.
He said that the medicine is being distributed free of cost and shall be given through Social Welfare Centers , PHCs, Ayush centres.
The Div Com further stressed on mass awareness through media and instructed concerned exporters to aware people about the new strain, precautions, importance of following SOPs and other related issues through TV, Radio, Print and Social Media.
The Div Com impressed upon maintaining the proper home isolation of positive patients for their recovery.
At the outset, the Div Com took detailed district wise latest trends of positive cases, deaths, persons in home isolation, referrals, containment zones and contact tracing.
The meeting was attended by Director School Education, Director Colleges, Commandant SDRF, HS Regional Red Cross Kashmir, In Charge Covid Control Room, YSS officer Srinagar, HoD SPMGMC, HoD Psychiatry GMC, Div Nodal Officer ISM and other concerned.
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