Writes to pm after VC meet, urges permission to vaccinate liver & kidney sufferers underneath 45
Also seeks vaccination for all age teams particularly youth in high-risk areas, apprises pm of steps taken to handle Covid
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday urged the Centre to provide flexibility to states to plan their native methods for Covid vaccination, inside the broad parameters of the Centre’s strategy, whereas in search of a review of the technique to permit all adults in high-risk areas to be immunized, together with sufferers with liver and kidney illness under the age of 45.
Captain Amarinder made these options in a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instantly after the latter’s VC assembly with chief ministers of all states to review the Covid and vaccination scenario. During the assembly, the Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister of the scenario within the state, and likewise the steps taken by his authorities to manage and handle the illness. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was additionally current on the assembly, throughout which the Chief Minister assured the Centre of all-out efforts by his authorities to include and handle Covid. He pressured on the truth that the UK variant which is dominating the second wave within the state, is reported by consultants to be extra virulent and affecting the youth disproportionately.
In his subsequent letter, the Chief Minister mentioned his options, some of which had been earlier submitted on March 17 to the PM, the Union Minister and the Union Health Minister, have been based mostly on the state authorities’s interplay with unbiased consultants.
Amid reviews of some states going through vaccine shortages, Captain Amarinder additionally requested the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to share the schedule for provide of vaccines with the States over the subsequent quarter, based mostly on their confirmed provide orders.
Given that over 80% optimistic instances present in Punjab are of the UK variant, as per early reviews from central laboratories, the Chief Minister additionally sought strengthening of viral sequencing within the state, which has been reporting round 3000 instances per day for the reason that final 15 days, with round 8% positivity. The state presently has round 26,000 energetic instances with restoration fee of 87.3%, with demise a matter of concern at 50-60 deaths a day and round 2% Case Fatality Rate (CFR) within the second surge, which struck the state within the latter half of February this yr.
The Chief Minister reiterated his earlier request for masking all lecturers and workers in all academic establishments for vaccination to allow resumption of bodily lessons as soon as the surge abates. Also, occupation-based immunization for judges & judicial officers, bus drivers & conductors, elected representatives in any respect ranges, and so forth must be allowed to take the vaccination, he pressured.
Captain Amarinder additionally urged the Prime Minister to direct central establishments like IISER, IMTech, AIIMS Bathinda and PGIMER, Chandigarh to extend the RT-PCR testing from Punjab. Further, PGIMER, Chandigarh must be requested to earmark a minimum of 50 Covid ICU beds for sufferers being referred by the State, he added.
Currently, 55% Health Care Workers and round 90% Front Line Workers have gotten the first dose of vaccine, the Chief Minister earlier instructed the Prime Minister through the digital assembly, whereas disclosing that greater than 8.9 lakh individuals aged 45+ have taken first dose of vaccination. Daily vaccinations have elevated from 20,000 per day in mid-March to round 85-90,000 per day, with most of 1.32 lakh vaccinations on third April. “We are concentrating on round 2 lakh per day by the top of this month,” he mentioned.
Extensive social media marketing campaign is being undertaken by way of Mission Fateh to handle the mis-information concerning COVID and vaccination hesitancy, he knowledgeable the Prime Minister, including that each one public healthcare amenities upto PHC ranges have began working as COVID Vaccination Centres, thereby making the ability obtainable to the general public of their neighborhood. All public well being amenities have began vaccination on all 7 days of the week, whereas extra personal healthcare amenities are being motivated to work as COVID Vaccination Centres, he added.
Sharing the general testing figures for the state, Captain Amarinder mentioned 40,000 COVID assessments per day (yesterday 44,250) are being carried out, of which greater than 90% are RT-PCR and fewer than 10% Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). Punjab’s testing per million is greater than nationwide common, and is now being elevated to 50,000 per day, he added.
On the therapy amenities, he disclosed that mattress occupancy at current is between 15-20% at Level-2 and Level-3. The State Experts Group holds day by day review assembly at 7.30 p.m. with all Level-2 and Level-3 public & personal healthcare amenities for efficient administration of COVID sufferers. Private hospitals managing Level-2 and Level-3 sufferers have been suggested to postpone elective surgical procedures by two weeks with a view to create extra beds for COVID sufferers.
Further, mentioned the Chief Minister, 25 Advanced Life Support and 300 Basic Life assist ambulances can be found for shifting of sufferers. The State has engaged round 4,000 further medical & paramedical manpower within the final one yr. There is satisfactory availability of medication & consumables required for administration of COVID sufferers, together with Remdesivir injection and different anti-viral medication, he added.
Giving a way of the explanations for the surge, the Chief Minister apprised the assembly that the first driver of the unfold seemed to be fatigue/ laxity in following COVID acceptable habits, massive political, social and non secular gatherings, and efforts at normalization resembling opening of colleges and Colleges. High positivity was being seen in youthful inhabitants, he identified.
On the measures taken by his authorities to examine the unfold, Captain Amarinder knowledgeable the assembly {that a} full ban has been imposed on political gatherings until thirtieth April, together with evening curfew throughout all districts from 9 pm to five am. Restrictions had been imposed on numbers in out of doors and indoor social gatherings, and in cinema halls and malls, whereas all academic establishments and Anganwadi Centres had been closed and college examinations postponed.
Persons not carrying masks are compulsorily taken for RT-PCR testing, with 2 lakh such folks taken by police for RT-PCR testing, 43,000 individuals issued challans, greater than 250 individuals arrested and greater than 200 FIRs lodged in opposition to the violators. COVID Monitors had been appointed in all Hotels, Restaurants & Marriage Palaces to make sure COVID acceptable behaviour, he added. For the security of non-vaccinated Health Care Workers and likewise the security of the general public, all such staff have been being mandatorily requested to endure testing, mentioned the Chief Minister.
