Special efforts must be undertaken to reduce the Covid death rate in the state. Issuing this instruction while chairing a video conference with all district magistrates on Saturday, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the cause of the death of Covid-19 patients, be it comorbidities, reaching the hospital late or any other reason should be properly analysed. There should be no delay if any Covid patient needs to be referred to a higher centre.
Stressing on the need for more efforts to raise the recovery rate, the CM directed the DMs to increase testing more swiftly in the districts. Special focus should be laid on RT PCR test. If those who are found negative in antigen test are symptomatic their RT PCR should be conducted. Further, it should be ascertained that after the sample is taken, the people should receive the test report within 24 hours in urban areas and within 48 hours in mountainous areas. More efforts will have to be undertaken to control the positivity rate in Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh and Dehradun districts, he said. Rawat further said that those being penalised for not wearing a mask in public should also be provided a mask. Stating that the intention is to protect people from Covid and not collecting revenue from challans, he said that strict action will be taken against those issuing challans without providing masks.
Considering the winter, the upcoming Kumbh Mela, Yog Mahotsavs and tourism, the next few months will be challenging. Considering this, public awareness campaigns should be conducted consistently in the districts for protection from Covid, he added.
Chief secretary Om Prakash said that full planning should be done for Covid vaccination. The district and block task forces should hold meetings regularly. Stating that all data should be kept on those with comorbidities, the aged, pregnant women, health and frontline workers, he said that if the aged and those with comorbidities develop symptoms, they should be encouraged to get hospitalised instead of staying in home isolation.
The director general (Law and Order) Ashok Kumar informed that the police are undertaking awareness campaigns through various media in tourist spots and crowded places. Thermal screening is also being conducted.
Health secretary Amit Singh Negi informed that 99.89 per cent of high risk contacts in the state had been tested. Covid sampling is also being done consistently in tourist spots. He stressed that all the DMs and chief medical officers should also ensure that the non-Covid health facilities are also operating properly. Community health centres, primary health centres and other health facilities should be further strengthened. Adequate funds will be made available for this purpose. To raise awareness on wearing masks, these should be distributed through NCC cadets and NSS volunteers, he added.
Sunday, 29 November 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
