Poll bound UP, Punjab, Manipur extremely vulnerable to COVID-19

New Delhi, Jan 12: A large number of districts in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur represent high vulnerability to the emerging COVID-19 variant of Omicron. The population in these poll bound states are at heightened risk of severe disease and adverse outcomes, an analysis by one of the empowered groups constituted by the Centre on COVID-19 said.

The report titled Vulnerability of Districts for COVID-19 was shared with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, two days after the Election Commission of India announced the poll dates for five states.

The Indian Express while quoting the report said that 65 of the 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh, 22 of 22 districts in Punjab and 9 of the 16 districts in Manipur are listed as Category 1 and Category 2 districts that represent high vulnerability to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic due to the Omicron variant.

"The population of these districts is at heightened risk of severe disease and adverse outcomes," it also says.

There are 99 districts under Category-1 and are spread across 5 states of which UP alone has 39 districts. Jharkhand with 13, Bihar (11) and Punjab 9 also fall under this category. Manipur has two districts under this list.

"Rapidly scale up the second dose of vaccination in Category-1 and Category-2 districts. This is most urgently for the Category-1 districts in particular," says the report. "Ensure all round preparedness in Category-1 and Category-2 districts: health facility readiness (beds, ICUs), testing, HR (human resource), medicines, oxygen, as also home care support," the analysis also added.