Bhubaneswar: As Odisha prepares for Rath Yatra amid rising cases of COVID-19, the Health and Family Welfare Department is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a safe festival. Minister Naba Kisore Das convened a high-level meeting of the Health Secretary, MD NHM, Directors, Puri Collector and senior officials of the H&FW Department on Tuesday.
Das said, more than double the usual footfall is expected at Rath Yatra this year so special measures have been taken to check any possibility of the spread of COVID-19. While the Department will be distributing 10 lakh masks through the district administration, an advertisement will be published requesting sick people to watch the festival on TV.
“We have 20 COVID ICU beds in Puri town and have deployed Chest, TB and Pulmonary specialists on duty. Besides, around 20 ambulances will be on standby to attend to any exigency,” the Minister said adding, the CM has instructed that devotees from across the world should have a hassle-free and safe darshan. “We are abiding by it.”
“Testing samples for COVID, administration of booster dose and other necessary activities are being carried out on war-footing. Around 30 food inspectors will be deployed for surveillance. Blood banks will be replete with stock for any emergency,” Das added.
