VIJAYAWADA: Night curfew being implemented across Andhra Pradesh from 10 pm to 6 am will be extended for one more week. A decision to this effect was taken in a review meeting on Covid-19 chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday. Besides continuing the restrictions on mass gathering, the CM stressed stricter implementation of Covid protocols. He said effective management ensured that more people are vaccinated with little wastage of vaccines.
“Hundred per cent of vaccination of mothers of children below five years has been completed in the state; 31,796 people going abroad have been inoculated. So far, 1,82,49,851 doses of Covid vaccines have been administered,” he explained. Pointing out that the state received 1,80,82,390 vaccine doses so far and, of them, 8,65,500 are yet to be used, Jagan said by effective management the government was able to save 11 lakh doses.
He instructed the officials to focus on vaccination of teachers on a priority once all people in the 45-plus category are immunised against Covid and before the reopening of schools. Further, the officials were instructed to focus on vaccinating pregnant women and create awareness about importance of the drive.
The CM, who explained the vaccination situation in the state to the Prime Minister during a video conference last week and requested him to allocate the unused vaccine quota of private hospitals to the state government, said though 35 lakh doses of vaccines were given to private hospitals since May, only 4,63,590 doses of them were used.
He said they will yet again request the Centre to allocate the balance quota to the state government so that vaccination can be carried out expeditiously. Taking stock of the preparation for third-wave, he directed the authorities to brace up for a possible third wave since studies show that children would be affected in the third wave. Officials were instructed to be prepared with a good action plan, especially for treatment of children. They were instructed to expedite the works of pediatric supercare hospitals at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati.
The CM further asked the officials to equip police battalions with Covid care equipment and recruit doctors. He enquired about the progress of setting up oxygen plants in private hospital with more than 50 beds and said the state government will be giving 30 per cent incentive for establishing the units.
Briefing the Chief Minister on Covid situation in the state, health officials said the state had 24,708 active cases as on date and a average daily positivity rate of 2.83 per cent. Eight districts have less than three per cent positivity rate while the figure in five others is between 3 to 5 per cent. They said the recovery rate has improved to 98.05 per cent.
Almost 94.19 per cent of Covid patients in network hospitals are being treated under Aarogyasri scheme, they added. Stating that black fungus cases in the state are decreasing, officials explained that only 15 cases were reported in the last one week. As on date, a total of 4,075 black fungus cases have been reported, out of which only 863 are active. So far, 1,41,42,094 people have been vaccinated, among whom only 41,07,757 received both the doses, the health officials added.