Covid-19 fourth wave scare: Ensure people joining festivities are vaccinated, Centre urges states, UTs

NEW DELHI: Amid the growing possibility of the Covid-19 fourth wave in the country, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday wrote a letter cautioning the states and Union Territories to keep an eye on people taking part in festivities and mass gatherings and ensure that they are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated against coronavirus. In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated that many festivals and yatras are likely to be organised in different regions of the country in the coming months and that may result in the transmission of Covid-19.

Talking about the surge in Covid-19 cases, Bhushan stated that while the country has observed a sharp decline in new infections, a few states and Union Territories were again witnessing a sustained rise in the cases recently.

"During many such events/yatras lakhs of individuals undertake intra- and inter-state journeys spanning hundreds of kilometers with halting points arranged by volunteers and community-based social/religious organisations. Such congregations may potentially facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19," Bhushan said.

"All states and UTs where such mass gatherings/yatras are proposed to be held should widely publicise that all individuals planning to participate in such gatherings/events are asymptomatic and preferably fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If need be a special drive for primary vaccination and precaution dose administration to all eligible people may be taken by the administration at least a fortnight in advance for those planning to join," he further said in the letter.

On behalf of the Centre, he stressed continuous alertness and advised states and Union territories reporting a surge in Covid cases to strictly monitor epidemiological profile of admitted coronavirus-infected patients and report the clinical manifestations to the health ministry, rather than random or anecdotal reporting.

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Centre calls upon States reporting surge in #COVID cases to step up vigil; advises Caution, Alertness

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This will help in identifying at an early stage any out-of-the-ordinary or different clinical presentation of the patients, the Union Health Secretary said during a review meeting with 14 states and union territories.

Bhushan reviewed the status of the Covid situation through video conference with those states and Union territories that are reporting a high number of cases on a week-to-week basis along with increased case positivity combined with low numbers of Covid tests and below-average Covid vaccination, a health ministry statement said.

Noting that the uptake in second and precaution doses in many states reporting the present surge was low, they were advised to rapidly accelerate the vaccination coverage, especially of the 60 plus elderly population, and the second dose among 12-17 population group, the statement said.

It was pointed out that the ongoing 'Har Ghar Dastak2.0' drive needed a strong push to ramp up Covid vaccine uptake. Underscoring that there was no shortage of Covid vaccines, the states were advised to ensure that vaccines that expire first are administered first preventing any wastage of the precious national resource.

During the meeting, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr Vinod Paul advised Assam, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, which are reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases to be watchful of the emerging pandemic situation.

The four-fold strategy highlights surveillance of incoming inter-national travellers; community-based surveillance; sentinel site surveillance (health facility-based surveillance and lab-based surveillance); and whole-genome sequencing. States were advised to scan for and report all SARI and ILI cases from all district hospitals, major private hospitals and medical colleges across the districts, and keep a close watch on those geographies where these clusters are emerging, the statement said.

"States were also strongly advised to strictly monitor epidemiological profile of admitted COVID-19 patients and report the clinical manifestation to the health ministry, rather than a random or anecdotal reporting. "This will help to identify at an early stage any out-of-the-ordinary or different clinical presentation of the patients," the statement said.

In addition, the states were reminded to undertake whole genome sequencing through the mapped labs of INSACOG network according to the revised surveillance strategy of the health ministry, which has already been shared with the states and Union territories, the statement said.

Bhushan urged the states to ensure that claims under 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19' were expeditiously processed to ensure that insurance dues are paid to those public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who have died due to Covid.

The states were advised to focus on the implementation of Covid appropriate behaviour to control the spread of infection, especially in view of the forthcoming festivals in many states, the statement added.