‘Covid not yet over’: Govt warns states logging rise
HT Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya asked states on Monday to focus on increasing the coverage of Covid-19 vaccination in children and of precaution doses among the elderly, citing increasing positivity rates in some regions of the country.
The comments were made by him during a review meeting on Monday to assess the results of the door-to-door vaccination coverage programme known as Har Ghar Dastak, when the minister also asked states to strengthen Covid-19 surveillance and focus on genome sequencing.
“Let us accelerate our efforts to identify all beneficiaries in the 12-17 age group for the first and second doses, so they can attend schools with the protection of the vaccine,” said Mandaviya, according to a government statement.
India recorded 6,927 new cases on Monday. The sevenday average of cases nationwide has grown from 3,119 on June 1 to 6,649 in the week ending June 12.
The spike has prompted authorities at the state as well as central levels to hold meetings to review the situation. Mandaviya urged for testing to be picked up, and for focus to be on five key aspects: test, track, treat, vaccination and adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour.
States were also urged to focus on implementing the operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for Covid, which focuses on surveillance of incoming international travellers and surveillance through health facilities, labs and community, said the statement.
Mandaviya said states should focus on the vaccination of the 12-17 age group through schoolbased campaigns.
He added that the population group of above 60 years of age is a vulnerable category and needs to be protected with the precaution dose. “Our healthcare workers are going from door-todoor to ensure that the vulnerable population is administered the precaution dose,” he added.
The health ministers of states were urged to also review the administration of precaution dose to the 18-59 age group with private hospitals on a regular basis, the statement said.
“We can utilise the learning from the first Har Ghar Dastak campaign to aim for achieving 100 per cent coverage among eligible population for ensuring extended protection against Covid-19. Adequate vaccine doses are available across the country. Let us ensure accelerated coverage of Covid vaccination during the second phase of Har Ghar Dastak campaign,” he said.