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'COVID not over yet': Govt asks states to focus on vaccination for school children, booster dose for elderly

Highlighting increased case positivity in some districts and states and reduced COVID-19 testing, Mandaviya stated that increased and timely testing will enable early identification of COVID cases and help to curb spread of the infection among the community. He urged states and UTs to continue and strengthen the surveillance and focus on genome sequencing for identifying new mutants or variants in the country.

TN National Desk

Updated Jun 13, 2022, 18:10 IST

Woman getting vaccinated

Photo : PTI

New Delhi: Amid the rising cases of COVID-19 in several states, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday urged states and Union territories to focus on increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage for school-going children and precaution dose for the elderly.

“COVID is not over yet. There are reports of rising cases of COVID in some states. It is important at this time to be alert and not forget COVID -appropriate behaviour such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distance to prevent spread of the infection,” Mandaviya said as he chaired a meeting with health ministers and senior officials of states and Union territories.

He urged states and UTs to continue and strengthen the surveillance and focus on genome sequencing for identifying new mutants or variants in the country.

Mandaviya stressed that the five-fold strategy of test, track, treat, vaccination and adherence to COVID-appropriate behavior needs to be continued and monitored by states and UTs.

States were also urged to focus on implementing the operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 which focuses on surveillance of incoming international travellers and surveillance through health facilities, labs, community etc.

Stressing on the importance of COVID vaccination among the vulnerable age groups, he urged the state health ministers to personally review the status and progress of the special month-long drive Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 campaign which has started since June 1.

“Let us accelerate our efforts to identify all beneficiaries in the 12-17 age group for the first and second doses, so they can attend schools with the protection of the vaccine,” he said.

The Union Health Minister also urged states to focus on vaccination coverage of 12-17 age groups through school-based campaigns, along with targeted coverage of non-school going children during the summer vacation

He added that the population group of above 60 years of age is a vulnerable category and needs to be protected with the precaution dose. “Our healthcare workers are going door-to-door to ensure that the vulnerable population is administered the precaution dose”, he said.

The state health ministers were urged to also review administration of precaution dose to 18-59 years age group with the private hospitals on a regular basis. “Adequate vaccine doses are available across the country. Let us ensure accelerated coverage of COVID vaccination during the second phase of the Har Ghar Dastak campaign,” he stressed.

They were also advised to ensure that there is no wastage of COVID-19 vaccines at any cost. “This must be ensured through active monitoring and on the basis of “First Expiry First Out '' principle, where doses that expire earlier should be used for vaccination first,” the Union Health Minister stated.

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