Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the measures taken to curb COVID-19 cases in the state and laid emphasis on booster dose vaccination for journalists considered as frontline warriors.
The Chief Minister said that the situation is now under control and the state government has taken steps to control the coronavirus infection in view of the livelihoods of the people. “With the help of the public, we can deal with the situation without affecting the livelihood,” he said.
The Odisha CM said that in this third wave, Covid-19 management is still effective. The number of daily cases has been almost constant over the past few days. The number of active cases has begun to decline in major cities across the country.
The symptoms are mild and very few patients have to go to the hospital, but we still need to be careful and prepared, the CM said and advised the people not to panic due to the rising number of COVID-19 patients.
The chief minister also advised intensifying the immunization drives in the state with emphasis on booster dose administration to medical staff, police and administrative officials.
The Chief Minister also laid emphasis on the administration of booster dose to journalists, considered as frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19, on a priority basis.
During the meeting, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said that as per the Chief Minister’s directive, all Covid hospitals in the state have been made operational and medicines and other essentials have been provided. “Every effort has been made to ensure that livelihoods of people are not affected,” he said.
Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health, R.K. Sharma said that the third wave is now at its peak and the number of daily COVID-19 patients in the state is between 10,000 and 11,000 per day, but the number of patients being hospitalized is very low. There are 11,291 beds for Covid patients in the state, of which only 11 per cent are occupied. He added that medicines, oxygen and other essentials are in abundance in the state.
Informing about the COVID-19 vaccination programme, Sharma said that 92.8 per cent of people have taken the first dose and 70.7 per cent have taken the second dose. He further noted that 45.8 per cent of children between the age group of 15 and 18 have been vaccinated and 18 per cent have received booster doses.
During the meeting, the Director General of Police, Mr Sunil Bansal, Collectors of Cuttack and Mayurbhanj, the Commissioners of the Bhubaneswar and Cuttack Municipal Corporations also briefed the Chief Minister on their respective field programs.
Secretary to Chief Minister & 5T Mr V.K. Pandian officiated the virtual meeting which was also attended by the Development Commissioner, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of various departments.
