Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered expanding the contact tracing of positive patients to 15 persons. He also made it mandatory for hospitals and radiology labs, conducting CT scans, to report such patients to the state administration in case of suspicion of coronavirus.
CM issued these orders as part of a slew of measures to strengthen the Covid management systems amid apprehension of the second wave.
He also ordered a state-level 3-tier vaccine supervision mechanism, comprising a steering committee as well as state and district task force, to be put in place.
In sharp contrast to some other states that are depending heavily on the less reliable Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), Captain Amarinder also directed the Health Department to make RT-PCR the rule, with RAT to be treated as an exception, while ordering another Serro Survey to assess the ground situation.
In other steps, he directed 24×7 testing facilities to be made available at District Hospitals, all fever cases/other symptomatic coming to Health Facilities to be tested with RTPCR and all patients attending the flu corners to be tested with RTPCR.
He stressed the need to make arrangements for walk-in testing at multiple points, and asked the Health Department to consider branching out testing by scaling up local initiatives like Mohali’s out-door testing.
The Chief Minister asked the Health Department to get information from private and public hospitals regarding Covid mortality and complete the audit by 9th November so that remedial action can be taken by mid-November.
Emphasising the importance of ensuring preparedness for a second wave, he also directed the Department to meet manpower shortage. Those who have been selected must be immediately given appointment letters and asked to join, he said.
Chairing a virtual meeting of medical and health experts and officials, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh warned against any complacency amid projections of a more severe second wave, in keeping with the global trend.
He urged organisers of social and religious congregations, that have been permitted, to also encourage the participants to get themselves tested. He asked officials to encourage citizens’ organisations and NGOs, and also to reach out to people through the Lok Sanjhedari programme, to discourage the use of firecrackers this Diwali season.