Health Ministry asks states to reactivate decommissioned Covid facilities, consider curbs amid Omicron scare

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday asked the states to get ready to activate the decommissioned Covid-19 facilities after Omicron cases were found in more than 300 individuals in India, many of whom neither have international travel history nor any link to such a passenger. The states have also been advised to impose restrictions and night curfews, if needed.

“As many states have decommissioned Covid-19 facilities, they are required to keep an action plan ready for making these operational along with adequate availability of doctors and ambulances on call, in case there is a rise in Covid-19 cases,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said.

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Bhushan took stock of the Omicron situation with state officials hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a high-level review on the new variant that has kept the officials on alert due to Omicron’s ability to spread three times faster than the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.

The new variant, which is sweeping through Europe, has a doubling time of 1.5-3 days and is not sparing countries with high levels of population immunity.

Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur – five states going in for elections in the near future have been told to exponentially ramp up vaccination, especially in the low coverage districts to protect the vulnerable population.

Moreover, the poll-bound states were asked to ensure 100% coverage of left out first and second dose-eligible beneficiaries in an accelerated manner.

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The Health Secretary said the states were free to impose the curbs and restrictions even before reaching the threshold of 10% test positivity and 40% occupancy of oxygen beds, depending on an area’s population density and local conditions.

“Based on the local situation and population density and keeping in mind the higher transmissibility of Omicron, the states and union territories can undertake containment measures and impose restrictions even before these thresholds are reached. Any restriction must be enforced for a minimum of 14 days,” he said.

As syndromes of Omicron variant closely mimic common cold with a higher rate of transmissibility and doubling time, a syndromic approach for Covid containment can be employed.

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Sharing a five-point strategy to tackle the new Covid-19 threat, Bhushan directed the states to impose night curfews and ensure strict regulation of large gatherings, ahead of the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. The states are to notify “Containment Zones” and “Buffer Zones” in case of new clusters of Covid positive cases and maintain a strict perimeter control.

States were asked to keep a close and strict watch on the number of Delta and Omicron cases in all districts; case positivity on a day-on-day and week-on-week basis; the doubling rate; and new emerging clusters and initiate containment in these areas.

In clinical management, the advice is to check the operational readiness of the oxygen equipment and keep a buffer stock of the necessary medicines for 30 days.

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