From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Updated

Bengaluru, Jan 7: Health and Family Welfare as well as Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said the State Government was fully prepared to fight the Covid pandemic third wave.

Addressing the media representatives in Bengaluru on Friday after holding a high-level meeting with technical experts, the minister said the government was considering issue of green passes to the fully vaccinated persons.

Dr Sudhakar said responsibilities have been allocated to officials and instructions have been given to ensure coordination between other departments. The experience of past two waves will help us anticipate and plan accordingly.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the Covid variant omicron is the fastest speeding variant. Although omicron is not as severe as Delta, it cannot be said to be mild. Those who are fully vaccinated with two doses may not get severe infection. So everyone should get two doses, said the minister.

More than 29 crore are infected with Covid across the world. From December 27 to January 2 the infection has increased by 79%. About 109 countries have not vaccinated even 70% of their people and 36 countries have not even vaccinated even 10%.

As many as 80% of the cases in ICU are not vaccinated. WHO has requested India to export vaccines to other countries too, the minister said.

"No country is safe until every country is safe," he said.

Strict rules in the State

More than 99% people in the State are vaccinated with first dose while 80% are vaccinated with two doses.

India has achieved another milestone by crossing 150 crore doses. This is testimony of the good work by the Centre and State governments, he said.

He said strict surveillance on travellers coming from other countries and states at railway stations, bus stations and airports.

Mandatory physical or tele-triaging of infected to assess requirement of hospitalization and 10,000 medical and nursing students to be roped in for this.

Uniform treatment protocol, discharge policy and quarantine guidelines to be released.

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