COVID-19: AP govt issues fresh guidelines for surveillance, containment

Amaravati, Jan 7 (PTI): The Andhra Pradesh governmenton Thursday issued some fresh guidelines for surveillance,containment, control and proper treatment of COVID-19 patientsand directed the district Collectors to be vigilant andpersonally monitor day-to-day status of cases.

The fresh guidelines were issued in line with theSupreme Court judgment in a civil writ petition and also therecent increase in cases in a few states and the spread of thenew UK strain, state Principal Secretary, Health, Anil KumarSinghal said in a Government Order.

Singhal directed the district Collectors to conduct ameeting once again with all Nodal Officers of COVID hospitalsand reiterate the directives issued by the Supreme Court andto strictly adhere to them in providing proper treatment toCOVID-19 patients in both government and private hospitals.

He asked the Collectors to constitute inspection teamsunder the supervision of Joint Collector to conduct Fire Auditin all COVID hospitals, both government and private.

Hospital authorities were required to necessarilyobtain a no-objection certificate from the Fire Department.

The Principal Secretary recalled that orders wereissued from time to time on following COVID-appropriatebehaviour and also the Standard Operating Procedures.

''District Collectors are directed to ensure strictcompliance of the orders and invoking penal clauses as andwhen required in larger public interest. The Superintendentsof Police and Commissioners of Police will be responsible forcompliance of all SOPs and COVID Orders issued,'' Singhaladded.

The Principal Secretary stressed on the need for crowdcontrol and asked the Collectors to entrust the responsibilityto police and revenue machinery.

''Wherever preventing crowding is not possible,restrictions shall be put in place to ensure the mandatedmaintenance of six-feet physical distance,'' Singhal said.PTIDBV SSPTI PTI