New Delhi: Amid reports of detection of the latest variant of Omicron (BA.4), Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Friday asked all States and UTs to maintain strict adherence to the Covid appropriate behavior. Bhushan has also asked them to expedite the vaccination process.
Following the detection of a suspected Omicron sub-variant BA.4 in Hyderabad, the Indian SARS CoV-2 Consortium of Genomics (INSACOG) is presently studying the variant. It is worth mentioning that both Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 have already created a fresh wave in South Africa and several other countries. Although the new variant might have an increased infection rate, scientists in India, however, ruled out that BA.4 variant will have any severity.
"BA.4 is the latest sub-variant of Omicron. Like its previous variant, this latest variant too will be less severe. However, we need to follow strict Covid appropriate behavior," said Dr. Tamorish Kole, president of the Asian Society of Emergency Medicine to ETV Bharat. He said that the rapid scale of vaccination across India has been an added advantage in the country's fight against Covid19.
Meanwhile, health secretary Bhushan flagged concern regarding the considerable slow pace of vaccination across States and Union Territories (UTs), at a time when the country has been witnessing a declining trend of Covid19 cases. The ministry has also urged the States and UTs to expedite the pace toward full vaccination coverage by saturating all eligible beneficiaries.
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During a review meeting on the status of the Covid 19 situation in India, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has also asked the States and UTs to prevent vaccine wastage and strictly follow the "first expiry first out" principle.
Asserting the urgent need for an intensive 'Mission Mode' push of vaccination to accelerate the recent placid momentum, Bhushan has advised them to plan for a two-month-long Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0 from June-July with a detailed district, block, and village levels plans.
The objective of the Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 is to vaccinate and saturate the eligible population groups for first, second, and precaution doses through door-to-door campaigns.
The focus will be given to old age homes, school-college including the out-of-school children (for focused coverage of children aged between 12-18 years population), prisons, brick kilns, etc.
States and UTs were asked to undertake effective monitoring with micro plans of all eligible beneficiaries. They were also asked to review the administration of precaution doses to 18-59 years age groups with the private hospitals on a regular basis.
Bhushan has also stressed a clear and effective communication strategy for increasing the place of the nationwide Covid 19 vaccination and noted that customized regional communication best practices have yielded appreciable results in India's high coverage of Covid19 vaccination.
Highlighting that the supply of vaccine doses has been made to States and UTs as per their demand since December last year, Bhushan has advised them to first use the unused balance doses over the coming months of May, June, and July.
Referring to reports that some states are asking the beneficiaries of precaution dose to submit proof of intended foreign visit, Bhusan reiterated that under no circumstances should any vaccination center or state government insist on any documentary proof.
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