Omicron threat: PM holds review meet, says focus on contact tracing, testing and vaccination

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday emphasised on prompt and effective contact tracing, ramping up of testing amid rise in Covid cases in the country.
PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of Covid-19, Omicron, and the preparedness of health systems across the country.
"In view of the new variant, we should be Satark and Saavdhan," said PM Modi.
Here's what all PM Modi said in the review meet:
* Focus should be on prompt and effective contact tracing, ramping up of testing, accelerating vaccination and strengthening health infrastructure.
* PM Modi directed the Centre to work in close coordination with the States to support their efforts of public health measures of containment and management under the ‘Whole of Government’ approach.
* Officials should ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant.
* The strategy of the Centre for proactive, focussed, collaborative and cooperative fight against the pandemic should guide all our future actions, PM said.
* The fight against the pandemic is not over and the need for continued adherence to Covid safe behaviour is of paramount importance even today, PM said.
*Heightened and close monitoring of emerging clusters and hotspots through and active, prompt and effective surveillance should continue, PM stated.
*It is important for states to ensure that the Oxygen supply equipments are installed and fully functional, PM Modi instructed the officials.
* PM Modi directed for sending a good number of positive samples for genome sequencing to INSACOG Labs in a prompt manner.
* The officials have been asked for accelerating the testing to ensure quick identification of cases for timely containment and treatment.
* Fcus should also be on effective contact tracing for curbing the spread of the transmission.
* Central government should send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases, insufficient health infrastructure to assist them to improve the situation.
*Ensure that the eligible population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and to proceed to meet the target in a saturation mode.
Meanwhile, the Centre will send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases, insufficient health infrastructure to assist them.