Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today appealed to the people to follow all Covid guidelines instead of being scared and informed that Covid-19 situation is fully under control.
“Measures undertaken by the State government to contain Covid-19 have been taken keeping in mind the lives and livelihoods of the people. With the support of the people we can tackle the situation without affecting lives and livelihoods,” stated Patnaik addressing a review meeting on Covid-19 situation in the State.
As of now in the third wave, Covid management is on the right track, he added.
The Chief Minister said that over the last few days the daily Covid caseload has mostly remained constant.
“Active cases have started to dip in big cities of the country. Patients are having milder symptoms and very few patients are requiring hospitalisation. Though this information is encouraging, still we all have to remain fully alert and prepared,” said Patnaik.
Patnaik directed the Chief Secretary to advise the people through the press not to get scared in view of the high number of Covid patients.
In addition to that Patnaik advised to further intensify vaccination programme in the State.
He told officials for expediting administration of precautionary doses to healthcare personnel, police, administrative officials and vulnerable citizens.
Since members of the media are counted as frontline workers, the Chief Minister advised providing them with precaution doses on a priority basis.
While opining for awareness on Covid and strict observance of guidelines, Patnaik emphasized the strategy of micro-containment and regular monitoring of Covid patients in home isolation.
Participating in the discussion, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra informed that keeping with the direction of the Chief Minister all Covid hospitals have been made functional apart from arranging medicines and other essential articles.
All measures have been taken to ensure that the livelihoods of people are not affected, he added.
ACS (Health) RK Sharma while presenting a comparative picture of the Covid situation in the world, country and state informed that the third wave is said to be at its peak. While informing that though 10000-11000 new cases are being identified daily, the number of patients admitted to hospitals is very low.
He stated that there are 11,291 beds available for Covid patients in the State and only 11% of that has been occupied. The State has sufficient stock of medicines, oxygen and other essentials, he added.
Sharing details of the vaccination programme, Sharma said that 92.7% of the eligible population have been administered with the first dose and 70.7% have been administered with the second dose.
He further told that 45.8% of 15-to 18-year-olds have been vaccinated and 14% have received precaution doses.
DG Police, district Collectors of Cuttack and Mayurbhanj, Municipal Commissioners of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack apprised the CM about the programmes in their areas.
Secretary to CM(5T) VK Pandian moderated the meeting. Development Commissioner, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of various departments attended the meeting.
