Mangalore MLA U T Khader urged the government not to create panic on Omicron variant of Covid-19. Instead, the government should take all precautions to check the spread of the virus.
“All the necessary precautions should be taken at all stages. The government should not create any confusion among the people. There is a need to intensify vaccination drives in the district, to ensure that all the beneficiaries are administered with vaccines to achieve 100 % success,” he told mediapersons on Monday.
The government should also mull over booster doses in the country. “Many countries have commenced booster dose vaccination drives, but we have not started yet. Covid warriors, who work in the frontline healthcare sector, should be given booster doses. The government should also take a decision on commencing vaccination drives for children below 18 years,” he said.
On oxygen generation units in government hospitals in the state, the former minister said that many units lack staff for maintenance. “An average of Rs 80 lakh for oxygen plants were spent by the government. If there are no staff for maintenance, then the units will remain unutilised,” he said.
The government should also release funds for Covid-19 pandemic management, said the MLA.
On mobile applications introduced for Asha workers and lab technicians in the state, Khader said at present they have been using it in their mobile phones. All Asha workers and lab technicians should be provided with tabs so that they can upload the data immediately, he added.