VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed health officials to come up with an action plan to administer COVID-19 vaccine for people in the 18-44 age group. Taking stock of the COVID situation in the State on Wednesday, he instructed the officials to focus on vaccinating people in the 18-44 age group and prioritise staff with public relations in giving COVID jabs.
ill now, focus has been on administering vaccine to health workers, frontline staff, people in the age group of 45 plus, women with children of below 5 years age and pregnant women. Vaccination for people in the age group of 18 to 44 has been largely limited to private hospitals.
As schools are slated to reopened on August 16, the Chief Minister directed the officials to complete the vaccination of teachers and other school employees on a priority basis. He suggested that village be taken as a unit for administering COVID vaccine.
He further asked them to conduct a scientific analysis on the effect of the virus on vaccinated people and the way the virus is being transmitted even after vaccination. He also instructed them to study the situation in other States as well as it could enable the State to take more stringent measures to combat COVID.
The officials informed him that there is a sharp decline in the number of COVID cases in the State. At present, the active caseload is 18,882. The daily positivity rate is 2.29 per cent and recovery rate 98.37 per cent.
The positivity rate is less than 3 per cent in 10 districts, less than 5 per cent in two districts and more than 5 per cent in one district. Almost 93.39 per cent of patients are being treated in network hospitals under Arogyasri, they said.
'Oxygen pipelines in hospitals with over 50 beds by September 10'
With regard to preparations for the possible third Covid wave, the health officials said they are stocking up drugs and injections, including 27,311 D-type oxygen cylinders and 20,464 oxygen concentrators. By September 10, oxygen pipelines will be laid in all private hospitals with more than 50 beds.
Oxygen plants are coming up at 140 places in the State and setting up of 104 PSAs will be completed by the end of August and the remaining by September 15, they explained.
Reviewing AP Digital Health, the Chief Minister directed them to enter the details of family members in the form of QR code in the Aarogyasri card as it will be easier for beneficiaries at the time of availing any treatment as hospitals can access the data within no time.
All other details, including the blood group, sugar and BP levels, medical tests done and other key information should also be stored in the QR code. The data should also be registered in village clinics for easy accessibility, he said and suggested that Aarogyasri card be linked to Aadhaar card.
"Everything should be recorded in detail, so that the officials can initiate appropriate measures for better hygiene. The quality of drinking water should also be monitored on a regular basis," he said.
On new recruitments, Jagan directed the officials to prepare a database on the actual staff strength right from village clinics to teaching hospitals and adequate staff should be appointed to provide good medicare.