No complete lockdown, but Thane sees complete chaos
LOCALS RUSH TO BUY ESSENTIALS Police chief, TMC back out on the plan
THANE: Thane police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar on Monday put out a tweet on complete lockdown in Thane, only to retract from it hours later, just like the Thane Municipal Corporation, leaving residents panicking and thronging markets to stock up on essentials.
The decision on a lockdown has been pending since Saturday, when the corporation first decided to impose it. The police department wanted a complete lockdown, while the civic body was indecisive. On Monday morning, both the authorities decided on a lockdown, however, the corporation again backtracked in the evening.
Apart from the tweet, the announcements of lockdown were even made using autorickshaws across the city. Many even tweeted to know what will be allowed and what is restricted. The corporation’s earlier stance that home delivery of vegetables or groceries will not permitted only added to the confusion.
Thane police commissioner claimed the tweet was removed and the lockdown will only be limited to containment and red zones.
Vivek Phansalkar, police commissioner, Thane, said, “There will not be a complete lockdown in the city, but only in containment zones and red zones. Many people from Thane commute to Mumbai and nearby cities, so a complete lockdown is not possible. Instead, we will ensure that the lockdown restrictions are implemented strictly in containment zones and areas where the density of cases is more.”
Sandeep Malvi, deputy municipal commissioner, said, “We are still working on the norms of a lockdown. The notification of things permitted in the areas under lockdown will be in accordance with the state guidelines. Residents should not panic.” He, however, offered no clarity on complete lockdown.
The flip-flop invited the ire of the residents. Harshada Sandhan, 37, a resident of Hiranandani
Estate, said, “With no clarity on whether essential goods and grocery would be available, we went into last-minute panic to stock up on essentials, as in
March, when complete lockdown was announced, it continued till May-end. With no information, we scrambled to stock up on perishables such as dairy and vegetables.”
Many said the rush only made sure social distancing norms were flouted. Sagar Patil, 34, a resident of Dokali, said, “We heard the announcement and went to the market in my area. There was a huge crowd with no social distancing. There were queues outside wine shops too.”
With 338 new cases on Monday, Thane’s case count is 8,506, while the toll is 292 with 15 new deaths.
Meanwhile, the Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) has extended its weeklong lockdown to another week till July 6. Earlier on June 23 the municipal council imposed a week-long lockdown due to the spike in Covid19 cases.
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday permitted the use of convalescent plasma therapy in all dedicated Covid hospitals in the state as treatment for Covid-19 in an emergency situation. The state also launched Project Platina, in which 500 critically-ill patients of Covid-19, at 21 medical colleges across Maharashtra, will be given convalescent plasma therapy as a part of clinical trial.
The government resolution issued by the medical education department on Monday says plasma therapy may now be considered for patients whose oxygen requirement is progressively increasing despite use of steroids.
“With approval from union health ministry, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the state decided using convalescent plasma therapy as treatment in mild and moderate cases. With this, plasma therapy can be used as a treatment in emergency at all government, private and charitable hospitals declared as dedicated for Covid treatment but they have to follow protocol of emergency authorisation,” said Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, secretary state medical education department.
On Monday, Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray also launched Project Platina. With 500 critically-ill Covid-19 patients, the state claimed Project Platina is the world’s largest trial-cum-treatment project related to plasma therapy for Covid-19. Thackeray also inaugurated Covid-19 plasma banks at 13 of the 21 centres participating in Project Platina, for which ₹16.85 crore has been approved from the CM Relief Fund.
HT had reported on June 11 that the state would implement a plasma therapy trial project.
These 500 patients will be given two doses of 200 ml of convalescent plasma, which has been taken from a recovered Covid-19 patient. “The state also intends to take this further and isolate monoclonal antibodies against Covid-19 from this plasma and study its structure,” Dr Mukherjee said. The treatment during this trial will be provided free of cost to all participating patients.
“Convalescent plasma therapy is coming up as one of the most important methods to treat severe Covid-19 patients in the absence of definite treatment drugs,” said Dr Mukherjee. “The trial will also help formulate definite treatment guidelines for the entire country and thus prove a milestone in the pandemic,” he added.
In convalescent plasma therapy, plasma, a blood component, is transfused from the recovered patient — whose blood has antibodies to fight Covid-19 — to one still afflicted by the infection. The therapy may also be used to immunise frontline workers, families of patients and other high-risk people.