Maharashtra task force to study Covid threat; screening for international flyers

NAGPUR: The state government plans to set up a task force to study Covid's threat after its resurgence in countries like China, Japan, Korea and the US. Also, international flyers would be screened and isolated if found positive.
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Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, replying to a question raised by leader of opposition in the assembly Ajit Pawar, said on Wednesday that a "task force would study the situation and suggest measures to prevent entry of deadly viruses in the state". "Some countries are facing severe crises like faced by India during Covid's second wave. Media reports suggest that in China, there is a severe shortage of beds and patients are kept inside cars," he said.

Later, state health minister Tanaji Sawant told journalists the public health department would screen international flyers, especially those coming from countries where the BF.7 Covid variant is accelerating a surge, at Mumbai airport. "Incoming flyers would have to take a Covid test if they show symptoms in thermal screening. If found positive, flyers, especially having history of visiting China, would be kept in isolation," he said. "Testing and isolation would be applicable to Indian citizens returning from at-risk nations."

A joint meeting with the Union health minister is scheduled for Thursday, following which guidelines would be framed. Sawant said that according to some experts, the BF.7 variant is a mild variant, like Omicron. He said masking has not been made compulsory, as of now.
Quoting a letter by the central government's department of health and family welfare secretary Rajesh Bhushan to all states, Pawar asked the government to constitute a high-power committee. "The committee should study the situation that emerged due to new variants all over the globe. Our Maha Vikas Aghadi government had a good experience of handling the situation in the last two and a half years. We need to take extra care and remain united to fight this pandemic. Even the opposition, including then leader Fadnavis, had supported us in our fight against the virus," he said.

Explaining measures taken by MVA to fight the pandemic, Pawar said as the then finance minister he had ensured there should be no funds shortage by opening jumbo centres to treat Covid patients. "We should be careful so that lockdown need not be repeated, wherein entire transportation was halted," he said.