Focus on five-fold strategy of COVID-19 management: Centre tells states and UTs as cases decline

As the states have started easing lockdown and curfew curbs, the Centre also said that the process of relaxing the restrictions should be 'carefully calibrated'.

File Photo (PTI)

New Delhi: Amid the declining number of coronavirus cases, the Centre on Tuesday (June 29, 2021) asked all the states and UTs to focus on the five-fold strategy of COVID-19 management. 

In a letter to the Chief Secretaries, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said the states should regularly monitor the districts with a high number of active coronavirus cases per million (10 lakh) population as it is an important indicator to predict the need for upgrading the health infrastructure and logistics.

"There should be a continuous focus on the five-fold strategy for an effective management of COVID-19, ie, Test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour," he said.

As the states have started easing lockdown and curfew curbs, Bhalla also said that the process of relaxing the restrictions should be 'carefully calibrated'. 

"While easing the restrictions, it must be ensured that there is no let up in adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour," the home secretary added.

He also said that prompt and targeted action needs to be taken by the states in line with the advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry.

"States, UTs should closely monitor case positivity and bed occupancy on a regular basis, taking the districts as administrative units.

"On witnessing any early sign of an increase in the case positivity rate and higher bed occupancy, necessary action should be taken for containment and upgrading the health infrastructure," he noted.

Bhalla said that for the districts with a high positivity rate and bed occupancy, the states 'may consider imposing restrictions'.

The home secretary said that adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour is crucial to guard against any surge in infection. 

India, notably, recorded less than 40,000 daily new COVID-19 cases after 102 days between Monday and Tuesday. There were 37,566 new infections across the country and the active count has now dropped to 5.52 lakh. The weekly positivity rate currently stands at 2.74%, while the daily positivity rate has come down to 2.12%.