CAPT LAUNCHES ‘COVID FATEH’ DRIVE TO TACKLE PANDEMIC IN RURAL AREAS

CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday launched “Covid Fateh” programme as part of a “Corona Mukt Pind Abhiyaan” to tackle the spread of Covid pandemic in the rural areas of the state.

He stressed the need to avoid the kind of situation prevailing in the villages of Uttar Pradesh and directed the health and rural development departments to lead the campaign with mobilisation of the community in the villages.

“The entire staff should be utilised to spread awareness among the villagers on the dangers of Covid,” he said, adding that the health and wellness clinics should become the fulcrum, and community health officers, panchayats, school teachers, anganwadi and ASHA workers, village police officers, youth volunteers must be mobilised to steer the programme.

The Guardians of Governance and the police force should work closely to make this programme a success, he said, adding that the idea is to spread awareness and dispel myths and also ensure adequate sampling and vaccination.

Terming the casual attitude of the people towards symptoms like cold and cough, which they do not report timely, as the biggest issue, Amarinder called for early identification of the infected people and ensuring early treatment. Symptomatic persons should be given basic medicines like paracetamol and cough syrup, and vitamin C, at their doorsteps, he directed, saying they should be encouraged to get tested and supported in home isolation.