COVID 3rd Wave: Odisha CM Urges People To Be Alert; Take Booster Shot

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said the COVID-19 situation is under control and urged people not to get scared.

Reviewing the COVID situation on the virtual mode, Naveen  emphasised on getting oneself inoculated with the booster dose. He urged all frontline workers, including journalists, to take the booster and stay safe. He asked the people to follow the COVID protocol strictly, be alert and vigilant.

“The state government has taken measures to contain COVID-19 keeping in mind the lives and livelihoods of people. We can tackle the situation without affecting lives and livelihoods with the support of people,” said the Chief Minister.

He said during the third wave, COVID management in the state is on the right track.

Informing about the preparedness, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said as per the Chief Minister’s directive, all COVID hospitals have been made operational and medicines as well as other essentials provided. “Every effort has been made to ensure that people’s livelihoods are not affected,” he added.

Additional Chief Administrative Secretary, Health, RK Sharma said the third wave was now at its peak across the world, country and state. The number of new patients in the state is between 10,000 and 11,000 per day, but the number of patients being hospitalised is very low., he added.

There are 11,281 beds for COVID patients in the state, of which only 11 per cent are occupied. The state has adequate stock of medicines, oxygen and other essentials, Sharma added.

About vaccination, he said 82.8 per cent have taken the first dose and 40.8 per cent have taken the second dose. He noted that 45.7 per cent of children in the 15-18 age group were vaccinated and 14 per cent have taken precaution dose.

Director General of Police, Sunil Bansal, Collectors of Cuttack and Mayurbhanj, Chief of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack Municipal Commission briefed the Chief Minister about the preparations in their respective fields.

Following the direction of the Chief Minister, all Covid Hospitals in the state have been made operational and arrangements have been made for medicines and other essential items, said Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra.