Be 'Satark' & 'Savdhaan' : PM Modi calls for prompt testing, tracing at Covid review meet amid Omicron scare

New Delhi, Dec 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on the Covid-19 situation in the country with the authorities on Thursday evening amid rising concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

During the meeting, the PM discussed about public health response, measures for containment and management of Covid-19, strengthening of health infrastructure including the availability of drugs, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators, PSA plants, ICU/oxygen supported beds, human resources, IT interventions and status of vaccination, says a press release from PMO.

PM Modi was informed about the global situation due to Omicron, actions recommended by WHO to combat the new Covid-19 variant, India's situation, states reporting a higher number of cases, districts reporting higher positivity, and higher number of clusters.

The officials presented the data of Omicron cases, including the travel history of the patients infected by the new variant, vaccination status, and recovered status.

After the presentation by officials, PM directed the officials for maintaining a high level of vigil and alertness at all levels. He directed the Centre to work in close coordination with the States to support their efforts of public health measures of containment and management under the 'Whole of Government' approach. The strategy of the Centre for the proactive, focussed, collaborative and cooperative fight against the pandemic should guide all our future actions, the PM directed the officials, the press release adds.

In view of the new variant, "We should be Satark and Saavdhan," the PM directed. He pointed out that the fight against the pandemic is not over and claimed that the need for continued adherence to COVID safe behaviour is of paramount importance even today.

The PM urged the officials to ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant. It is important for States to ensure that the Oxygen supply equipments are installed and fully functional, he instructed the officials. He directed the officials to work with the states on a regular basis and review the status of preparedness of various components of health infrastructure including training and capacity building of human resources, timely availability of ambulances, readiness of states to operationalise COVID facilities for institutional quarantining, and effective and supervised monitoring of those in home isolation.

He also directed officials for the effective use of IT tools for tele-medicine and tele-consultation.
Heightened and close monitoring of emerging clusters and hotspots through and active, prompt and effective surveillance should continue, he added, while asking them to send positive samples for genome sequencing to INSACOG Labs in a prompt manner.

PM also directed to accelerating the testing to ensure quick identification of cases for timely containment and treatment. Focus should also be on effective contact tracing for curbing spread of the transmission, he stated. PM directed officials that the Central Government should send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases, insufficient health infrastructure to assist them improve the situation.

The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary, Dr V.K.Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, AK Bhalla, Home Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary (MoHFW), Secretary (Pharmaceuticals); Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary (Biotechnology); Dr Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR; Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary (AYUSH); Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary (Urban Development); RS Sharma CEO NHA; K Vijay Raghavan (Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt. of India) along with other senior officials.