PM chairs Covid review meet, urges vigilance

PM Modi asserted that the fight against the pandemic is not over

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the Covid-19 situation and preparedness of health systems across the country amid rising concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant. The meeting was attended by senior officials and experts.

Following the meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office informed that the Centre will send teams to states with low vaccination, rising Covid cases and insufficient health infrastructure to assist them.

At the review meeting, PM Modi highlighted the need to remain vigilant and cautious in the wake of emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Stating that his government is alert, the Prime Minister said the Centre is taking proactive action, helping states for containment and management under the ‘Whole of Government’ approach. Modi also urged on the need to conduct effective contact tracing, ramp up testing, accelerate vaccination and boost health infrastructure.

Speaking to the officials present, Modi said, “Strategy for proactive, focussed, collaborative, cooperative fight against Covid-19 should guide all our actions.” Modi further called upon the state governments to ensure oxygen supply equipment is installed and fully functional, and stressed on the need to ensure the eligible population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Asserting that the fight against the pandemic is not over, the Prime Minister said “continued adherence to Covid-safe behavior is of paramount importance even today.”

Earlier this week, in a communication to states and Union Territories, the Centre had said the Omicron variant was at least thrice more transmissible than the Delta variant, and asked them to activate war rooms, keep analysing even small trends and surges and keep taking strict and prompt containment action at the district and local levels. India recorded 236 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 till Thursday, according to Health Ministry data. –(Agencies)