Covid protocols must be strictly enforced: Naveen

The test positivity rate is 0.38 per cent.State additional chief health secretary R K Sharma said Khurda, Cuttack, Sundargarh and Sambalpur districts reported majority of the cases, while the situation in other areas is under control.He claimed that 85.65 per cent of the people of the state have already received the first dose of the vaccine and the rate of inoculation of the second dose is 48.4 per cent, which is more than the national average.The state government has now launched a door-to-door campaign for vaccination.


PTI | Bhubaneswar | Updated: 01-12-2021 23:39 IST | Created: 01-12-2021 23:39 IST
Covid protocols must be strictly enforced: Naveen
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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday instructed reactivation of all COVID-19 protocols and asked for keeping the facilities and personnel on high alert amid fears of a possible third wave following the detection of a new coronavius variant in several countries.

At a virtual meeting to review the situation amid the threat of the variant, Patnaik asked officers to strictly eforce the COVID protocol and appealed to the people to be alert and follow the safety norms.

"We have to enforce the Covid safety protocols strictly," Patnaik said and asked the director general of police to enforce them strictly.

The information and public relations department should start anew the awareness campaign to sensitise citizens to follow the norms regarding the use of face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing, he said.

The district collectors should involve all sections of the society to ensure awareness and enforcement, he said.

Patnaik directed officials to make sure everyone took it seriously as the new variant appears to be more infectious.

"Odisha has adopted a cautious approach towards the pandemic from the beginning ... We've been able to successfully control the first and second waves of COVID in spite of challenging situations.

"We are now battle-hardened and I'm sure we'll be able to successfully tackle this resurgence as well," the chief minister said.

The Omicron variant, first identified in south Africa, is feared to have higher re-infection risk and its potential vaccine resistance due to a large number of spike proteins is under study. "I appeal to the people of Odisha to be alert and follow the safety norms and cooperate with the enforcement machinery," he said.

The meeting also resolved to further strengthen the oxygen supply and keep private hospitals prepared to treat COVID cases.

On Wednesday, Odisha recorded 237 new coronavirus cases and two more fatalities. The test positivity rate is 0.38 per cent.

State additional chief health secretary R K Sharma said Khurda, Cuttack, Sundargarh and Sambalpur districts reported majority of the cases, while the situation in other areas is under control.

He claimed that 85.65 per cent of the people of the state have already received the first dose of the vaccine and the rate of inoculation of the second dose is 48.4 per cent, which is more than the national average.

The state government has now launched a door-to-door campaign for vaccination.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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