Srinagar, Oct 30: Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta Saturday
chaired a meeting to review the public health response to COVID-19 and
asked the divisional and district administrations to ensure coverage
of 5 lakh people who have completed the mandatory interregnum period
and are due to receive the subsequent dose with second COVID
vaccination jab within a week.
The Chief Secretary emphasised on early culmination of COVID
vaccination drives to ensure safety of local population once the
economy is fully opened with resumption of all economic activities,
reopening of schools, and large scale tourism activities.
The Health and Medical Education Department was asked to ensure
regular supply of vaccines to the districts, besides enhancing their
testing facilities for early detection of COVID infections and
emerging hotspots.
The Chief Secretary impressed upon the district administration,
Srinagar to remain vigilant to any surge in cases and focus
intensively on daily testing of vulnerable population in consonance to
the trajectory of infections. “Special focus is to be laid on early
testing and isolation of symptomatic patients having influenza like
infections (ILIs) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARIs) due
to the sudden change in season” he added.
Dr. Mehta further underscored the need for strict enforcement of the
COVID appropriate behaviour (CAB) and COVID SOPs and protocols,
besides directing the enforcement agencies to strictly implement the
established protocols and levy penalties on defaulters. He also
directed continuation of the COVID dedicated IEC campaign to raise
awareness regarding DOs and Don’ts for keeping the disease at bay.
Administrative Secretaries of Health & Medical Education, Revenue,
General Administration, besides Divisional Commissioners Kashmir/
Jammu, Inspectors General of Police, Kashmir/ Jammu, all Deputy
Commissioners, all District Superintendents of Police along with MD,
National Health Mission, Director, Family Welfare, and other concerned
officers participated in the meeting.
