Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursdayurged the Centre to give flexibility to states to devise their local strategiesfor Covid vaccination, within the broad parameters of the Centre’s approach,while seeking a review of the strategy to allow all adults in high-risk areasto be immunized, along with patients with liver and kidney disease below theage of 45.
Captain Amarinder made these suggestions in a letterwritten to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, immediately after the latter’s VCmeeting with chief ministers of all states to review the Covid and vaccinationsituation. During the meeting, the Chief Minister apprised the Prime Ministerof the situation in the state, and also the steps taken by his government tocontrol and manage the disease. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also presentat the meeting, during which the Chief Minister assured the Centre of all-outefforts by his government to contain and manage Covid. He stressed on the factthat the UK variant which is dominating the second wave in the state, isreported by experts to be more virulent and affecting the youthdisproportionately.
In his subsequent letter, the Chief Minister said hissuggestions, some of which had been earlier submitted on March 17 to the PM,the Union Minister and the Union Health Minister, were based on the stategovernment’s interaction with independent experts.
Amid reports of some states facing vaccine shortages,Captain Amarinder also requested the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to share theschedule for supply of vaccines with the States over the next quarter, based ontheir confirmed supply orders.
Given that over 80% positive cases found in Punjab are ofthe UK variant, as per early reports from central laboratories, the ChiefMinister also sought strengthening of viral sequencing in the state, which hasbeen reporting around 3000 cases per day since the last 15 days, with around 8%positivity. The state currently has around 26,000 active cases with recoveryrate of 87.3%, with death a matter of concern at 50-60 deaths a day and around2% Case Fatality Rate (CFR) in the second surge, which struck the state in thelatter half of February this year.
The Chief Minister reiterated his earlier request forcovering all teachers and staff in all educational institutions for vaccinationto enable resumption of physical classes once the surge abates. Also,occupation-based immunization for judges & judicial officers, bus drivers& conductors, elected representatives at all levels, etc should be allowedto take the vaccination, he stressed.
Captain Amarinder also urged the Prime Minister to directcentral institutions like IISER, IMTech, AIIMS Bathinda and PGIMER, Chandigarhto increase the RT-PCR testing from Punjab. Further, PGIMER, Chandigarh shouldbe asked to earmark at least 50 Covid ICU beds for patients being referred bythe State, he added.
Currently, 55% Health Care Workers and around 90% Front LineWorkers have got the 1st dose of vaccine, the Chief Minister earlier told thePrime Minister during the virtual meeting, while disclosing that more than 8.9lakh persons aged 45+ have taken first dose of vaccination. Daily vaccinationshave increased from 20,000 per day in mid-March to around 85-90,000 per day,with maximum of 1.32 lakh vaccinations on 3rd April. “We are targeting around 2lakh per day by the end of this month.,” he said.
Extensive social media campaign is being undertaken throughMission Fateh to address the mis-information regarding COVID and vaccinationhesitancy, he informed the Prime Minister, adding that all public healthcarefacilities upto PHC levels have started working as COVID Vaccination Centres,thereby making the facility available to the public in their vicinity. Allpublic health facilities have started vaccination on all 7 days of the week,while more private healthcare facilities are being motivated to work as COVIDVaccination Centres, he added.
Sharing the overall testing figures for the state, CaptainAmarinder said 40,000 COVID tests per day (yesterday 44,250) are beingconducted, of which more than 90% are RT-PCR and less than 10% Rapid AntigenTest (RAT). Punjab’s testing per millionis higher than national average, and is now being increased to 50,000 per day,he added.
On the treatment facilities, he disclosed that bedoccupancy at present is between 15-20% at Level-2 and Level-3. The StateExperts Group holds daily review meeting at 7.30 p.m. with all Level-2 andLevel-3 public & private healthcare facilities for effective management ofCOVID patients. Private hospitals managing Level-2 and Level-3 patients havebeen advised to postpone elective surgeries by two weeks with a view to createmore beds for COVID patients.
Further, said the Chief Minister, 25 Advanced Life Supportand 300 Basic Life support ambulances are available for shifting of patients.The State has engaged around 4,000 additional medical & paramedicalmanpower in the last one year. There is adequate availability of drugs &consumables required for management of COVID patients, including Remdesivirinjection and other anti-viral drugs, he added.
Giving a sense of the reasons for the surge, the ChiefMinister apprised the meeting that the primary driver of the spread appeared tobe fatigue/ laxity in following COVID appropriate behavior, large political,social and religious gatherings, and efforts at normalization such as openingof schools and Colleges. High positivity was being seen in younger population,he pointed out.
On the measures taken by his government to check thespread, Captain Amarinder informed the meeting that a complete ban has beenimposed on political gatherings till 30th April, along with night curfew acrossall districts from 9 pm to 5 am. Restrictions had been imposed on numbers inoutdoor and indoor social gatherings, and in cinema halls and malls, while alleducational institutions and Anganwadi Centres had been closed and schoolexaminations postponed.
Persons not wearing masks are compulsorily taken for RT-PCRtesting, with 2 lakh such people takenby police for RT-PCR testing, 43,000 persons issued challans, more than 250persons arrested and more than 200 FIRs lodged against the violators. COVIDMonitors had been appointed in all Hotels, Restaurants & Marriage Palacesto ensure COVID appropriate behaviour, he added. For the safety ofnon-vaccinated Health Care Workers and also the safety of the public, all suchworkers were being mandatorily asked to undergo testing, said the ChiefMinister.