Jaipur: The additional chief secretary of the Medical and Health Department, Shubhra Singh, has instructed the health department to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions following the emergence of COVID cases in various states across the country. She directed the formation of a state-level committee, chaired by Medical Education Commissioner Shivprasad Nakate, to prepare a Graded Response System (availability of medical facilities based on the number of cases) for effective COVID management.
Singh emphasized the need for immediate medical facilities for patients when required and urged the committee to ensure the preparedness of the healthcare system for COVID-19, ILI (Influenza-like Illness), and SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) cases. She clarified that, according to medical specialists, the new variant, SARS-CoV-2 lineage J.1, is not considered highly dangerous, and approximately 90% of patients testing positive for this variant do not require hospitalization.
Despite the perceived lower risk from the J.1 variant, Singh emphasized the importance of maintaining precautionary measures in the state. Mock drills are set to take place on December 26 to assess and enhance the inspection, medication, bed, and oxygen facilities in both public and private hospitals. Singh also directed district collectors to write letters regarding COVID management, emphasizing the need to issue advisories in the state as per the guidelines of the Indian government. She stressed the importance of raising awareness among the public and ensuring that medical institutions remain in alert mode.
Furthermore, Singh instructed constant monitoring of patients suffering from ILI and SARI, with regular sample collection for testing. Patient information should be uploaded daily on the IHIP portal for effective tracking and management. The focus remains on proactive measures to combat COVID, ensure preparedness in medical facilities, and disseminate information to keep the public informed and medical institutions on high alert.
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