April 14, 2023: Is India ready to combat the boon of Covid if it attacks us again? What are the necessary steps being taken and by whom? Read more to know the steps.
On April 10 and 11, a modeled drill was conducted nationwide by the Union Ministry of Health to evaluate how well-equipped public and private health facilities are to manage an increase in COVID-19 instances nationwide.
Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the union health minister, observed the drills at AIIMS, Jhajjar, and he has urged the state health ministers to watch the Covid simulated operations in their respective states during a review meeting on April 7.
The meeting's health minister emphasized the significance of tracking trends in instances of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and influenza-like illness (ILI) in order to pinpoint emergency hotspots.
The minister also emphasized the importance of stepping up testing and inoculation against the virus and making sure that hospital infrastructure is prepared.
Mandaviya further emphasized the importance of raising public awareness of acceptable COVID behaviour.
Mandaviya further noted at the review conference that 23 states' average test results per million are lower than the national average. States and union territories were asked to work on improving the rate of RT-PCR testing while also increasing the number of tests.
The Covid-19 virus has suddenly become more prevalent in the nation; as of 9 April, there were over 32,000 active instances of the infection there.
Six more variations namely BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF, and XBB.1.16) as well as a variant of interest (VOI), namely XBB.1.5, are being monitored by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to a statement from the health ministry, the prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.5% in February to 35.7% in March, however hospitalization or fatality rates did not change significantly.
Omicron and its related variants continue to be the most common among the increasing instances and do not now have the ability to cause serious illness or escape the immune system.
The health minister stated that regardless of the finding of new variations, the five-step plan of "Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and compliance to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour" remains in place for Covid management.
