Centre advises states to follow five-fold strategy amid Omicron scare

The Centre on Thursday advised states and UTs to not let their guard down and maintain their preparedness in fight against Covid pandemic and to followfivefold strategy in view of the new variant OmicronThe states have been asked to put in place the local containment measures by the District and local administration when either the test positivity increases beyond 10 per cent or occupancy of oxygenated beds increases beyond 40 per centBased on the local situation and population characteristics such as density and others and keeping in mind the higher transmissibility of Omicron StatesUTs can undertake containment measures and impose restrictions even before these thresholds are reached the Health Ministry has saidThe states have been advised to follow the fivefold strategy of Containment Testing amp Surveillance Clinical Management Covid Safe Behavior and VaccinationOn Containment the states have been advised to impose night curfews and ensure strict regulation of large gatherings especially ahead of the forthcoming festivities The states need to have keep strict watch on number of Delta and Omicron cases in all districts and case positivity on a dayonday and weekonweek basisAlso read 12 new Omicron cases reported in Karnataka tally rises to 31Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reviewed the public health preparedness of the states for fighting Covid19 and said that any restriction must be enforced for minimum of 14 days As syndromes of Omicron variant closely mimic common cold with a higher rate of transmissibility and doubling time syndromic approach for Covid containment can be employed said BhushanThe states have also been informed that the existing National Clinical Management Protocol remains unchanged for Omicron They were advised to increase bed capacity ensure logistics like ambulances and enforce mechanism for seamless shifting of patients Utilise funds sanctioned under Emergency Covid Response Package ECRPII to ensure that the requisite capacity of health systems is developed atnear hotspots to respond to any emergency said ministry to the statesOn the front of Covid Safe Behaviour states have been asked to ensure advance engagement and information so that there is no misinformation or panic The states have been asked to ensure 100 per cent coverage of left out first and second dose eligible beneficiaries in an accelerated manner and give special focus to those districts where the first and second dose coverage is less than the national averageThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever