Containment key, monitor hotspots, govt tells states | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: In view of the possible threat that Omicron can pose to the country, the Centre has further beefed up preparations. The health ministry advised states and UTs to immediately focus on intensive containment, active surveillance, increased vaccination coverage as well as enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour.
Apart from rigorous surveillance of international passengers and enhanced testing, the health ministry has also directed states to monitor hotspots and send positive samples for genome sequencing.
The move came soon after PM chaired a high level review meeting on Saturday and asked officials at the Centre to proactively engage with states and UTs. Immediately after the meeting, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to all chief secretaries and administrators of states and UTs listing a series of measures that need to be implemented immediately.
“As a proactive step, government has already placed countries where this VoC has been found in the category of ‘At-Risk’ countries for additional follow up measures of international travellers coming into India from these countries,” Bhushan said in the letter sent to states on Saturday.
The Centre suggested that all international travellers from and transiting through these countries are subjected to rigorous screening. In his letter to states, Bhushan pointed out that there is already a reporting mechanism for obtaining past travel details of passengers. In this regard, a meeting was chaired by home secretary on Sunday where the overall global situation was reviewed.
Apart from rigorous surveillance of international passengers and enhanced testing, the health ministry has also directed states to monitor hotspots and send positive samples for genome sequencing.
The move came soon after PM chaired a high level review meeting on Saturday and asked officials at the Centre to proactively engage with states and UTs. Immediately after the meeting, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to all chief secretaries and administrators of states and UTs listing a series of measures that need to be implemented immediately.
“As a proactive step, government has already placed countries where this VoC has been found in the category of ‘At-Risk’ countries for additional follow up measures of international travellers coming into India from these countries,” Bhushan said in the letter sent to states on Saturday.
The Centre suggested that all international travellers from and transiting through these countries are subjected to rigorous screening. In his letter to states, Bhushan pointed out that there is already a reporting mechanism for obtaining past travel details of passengers. In this regard, a meeting was chaired by home secretary on Sunday where the overall global situation was reviewed.
