Use a mask if you are in a crowded space, says Govt amid surge in Covid cases in China, US

way2barak, Dec.21: Use a mask if you are in a crowded space, indoors or outdoors. This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or are of higher age. This was said by Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog after Union Health Minister’s meeting on COVID-19 on Wednesday.

The review meeting on COVID-19 situation was convened amid a rise in cases in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and the US, as per reports. The minister reviewed the COVID-19 situation considering the international scenario. “There is no change with regard to aviation as of now,” he added.

Mansukh Mandaviya said, “COVID-19 is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance.” He added, “We are prepared to manage any situation.”

Dr VK Paul, member of NITI Aayog, Dr NK Arora, Chairman of COVID-19 working group NTAGI, and Dr Rajiv Bahl, DG-Indian Council of Medical Research among others attended the meeting.

The Union Health Ministry has urged all states and Union territories to ramp up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of new variants. In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures.

The Health Minister stressed that India with its focus on the five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour has been able to restrict the transmission of the coronavirus and is having around 1,200 cases on a weekly basis. He urged upon the states to ensure that as far as possible, samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Laboratories that are mapped to states and UTs.