BENGALURU: As fresh cases of Covid-19 continue to surge with every passing day, the State Government has shifted gears and is reintroducing measures taken during the peak of the pandemic last year, to prevent a possible second wave and mitigate its impact. For the next 50 days, doctors, healthcare workers and officials will work in mission mode to take preventive measures as well as to ramp up the vaccination drive.
“If we vaccinate senior citizens and those aged above 45 with comorbidities, we can mitigate the second wave,” Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Thursday after taking stock of the situation at a meeting with the heads of government hospitals in Bengaluru. The government has set an ambitious target of vaccinating three lakh people per day.
The Covid War Room, which was started last year, will be reactivated for real-time monitoring of the situation, contact tracing, creating micro-containment zones, earmarking of beds in government hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients, besides reviving the Covid Care Centres (CCC) and roping in private hospitals.
The government has decided to earmark 1,000 beds in government hospitals for treating Covid-19 patients in anticipation of a rise in cases.
Officials will hold the first round of discussion with private hospitals in the next two days to reserve beds for Covid-19 patients. “If the infection spreads further, we will rope in private hospitals to ensure availability of adequate number of beds,” he said.The Health Minister said that they are now anticipating a possible second wave and preparing to fight it. “We also have the advantage of vaccines now, which we didn’t have last year. People should follow precautions and should not let their guard down,” Dr Sudhakar stressed.
Health kiosks to be set up for smooth admissions: Min
While a decision has been taken to recruit resident doctors and paramedical staff on temporarily to overcome possible shortage, 200 ambulances will be deployed in Bengaluru, one in each ward, to ensure easy availability in emergencies. Health kiosks will be set up for Covid patients to ensure smooth admission, the minister said. “The heads of respective institutions will be held accountable for any lapse,” he warned.
“We have learnt from the last one year how effectively we can handle the situation and there is no scope for any mistake. We have uniform, specific treatment protocols in place and we are hopeful that we will handle the situation and try to prevent a second wave in a big way, though our Technical Experts’ Committee has given a report stating that a second wave may be coming.”