Scale up testing and vaccination drive amid Omicron case surfaces in SBS Nagar:  DC asks health teams

Nawanshahr, December 30, 2021: Amid the first case of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Mukandpur town of SBS Nagar, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal directed the health teams to ramp up testing and vaccination daily in the district to contain the further spread of virus effectively.
 
While reviewing the testing, vaccination and preparations of immunization drive for 15 to 18 years age group to be started from January 3 at Civil Hospital, Nawanshahar, the Deputy Commissioner asked the health department to collect 2500 samples daily in the district to ensure strict surveillance on the situation in the district besides ensuring administration of 6000 doses daily with special coverage of second dose.
 
Deputy Commissioner told the officials of the health department to constitute more sampling collection teams. He asked them to get the services of private nursing college staff in need.
 
Instructing the SMOs to be available in this tricky situation to handle any exigency, if occurs any. He also took round of all facilities, wards and checked cleanliness of hospital and operations of oxygen supply plants, etc.
 
Making a strong appeal to the general public, particularly in the wake of new year celebrations, he said that we will have to abide with Covid Appropriate behaviour to avoid the contagion of virus. He said that we have seen very testing times in the previous months and its our duty to be responsible citizen.
 
Further, Sarangal also directed them to get ready for vaccination drive to be started from January 3 for the beneficiaries of 15 to 18 years age group. He said that the  teams would start administering the booster dose from January 10.
 
Deputy Commissioner stressed  that the second dose's  beneficiaries should be covered at the earliest in view of challenge of omicron as only way to keep the virus under checked is to do more and more testing and speedy vaccination.
 
He also asked the officials to ensure tracing of all contacts of the positive case immediately so that they can be put into quarantine without fail. Further, he told them to all oxygen plants must be ready and functional.
 
He said that the district administration was fully geared up and prepared to tackle any situation arising from the new variant of Covid-19 pandemic. "Though, we have no active case now but we are fully cautious in wake of earlier case", said Mr Sarangal.
     
He said that presently district hospital has 100 beds for COVID patients but we would enhance the number to 140 in coming days, particularly for paediatric care.
 
He said that the district administration would leave no stone unturned to serve people in any kind of exigency and asked the people to strict follow safety precautions that include wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, washing hands, and others.
 
Sarangal appealed the people to inform the district administration in case of any person had recently arrived from countries at risk category including UK, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Bangladesh, Israel and others.