Amid Omicron spread, Mandaviya to hold COVID-review meet of 5 states today

New Delhi, Jan 29: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will virtually review the Covid-19 situation, in view of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh today at 3 pm.

Amid the alarming spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the health minister will be taking note of the health and preparedness measures adopted by five states. Omicron has become the dominant variant that is currently driving the third COVID wave in the country.

On Friday,the health minister held covid review of eight southern States/UTs (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep).

Highlighting India's remarkable first and second dose adult vaccination coverage of 95% and 74% respectively, the Union Health Minister stated that "India's COVID19 vaccination drive is a global success story, especially for such a populous country like ours".

To give a further boost to the nationwide COVID19 vaccination drive, we have now started the Precaution Dose and the vaccination for the 15-17 yrs age group from this month, he added. He noted that more than the projected requirements of doses of both vaccines were provided to the States and UTs to ensure that there is no let-up in pace of the vaccination drive. He requested the states to accelerate the pace of vaccination of the 15-17 yrs age group and those whose second dose is due.

Stressing the role that tele-consultation and tele-medicine have played in the country to serve the far flung regions and those in home isolation, Dr Mandaviya advised the States to focus on ramping up opening of more tele-consultation centres as part of the Hub and Spoke Model for better public health management. "The tele-consultation centres will help us not only during COVID pandemic but also for non-COVID medical care", he said.

Kerala informed that non-COVID medical care for cancer, diabetes management, mental health etc., were also provided through tele-medicine centres to those in home isolation who could not access the institutional facilities. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka which have shown good progress in eSanjeevani with very large number of tele-consultations were appreciated for their efforts.