Covid Not Yet Over, Govt Prepared For Any Situation: Health Minister Mandaviya

New Delhi: After reviewing the Covid situation in India in the wake of several countries reporting a resurgence of the virus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said that the pandemic is not over yet, but “we are prepared to manage any situation”.

He made the remark after holding a review meeting with senior officials at the Nirman Bhavan here earlier in the day.

Taking to Twitter, the Minister said: In view of the rising cases of Covid-19 in some countries, reviewed the situation with experts and officials on Wednesday.

“Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation.”

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has also written to the states to ramp up the whole genome sequencing of positive cases to track the new Covid variant.

In the letter on Tuesday, the Ministry said: “In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, the US, South Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants through Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium network”.

Meanwhile, Sangita Reddy, Apollo Hospitals’ joint managing director, urged the Centre to act on the country’s policy regarding air travel to and from China as the neighbouring nation faces a deluge of Covid-19 cases.

“There is no place for inertia. We must act swiftly on policy regarding air travel to & from #China,” Reddy said in a tweet while tagging the Office of the Prime Minister of India.

However, she that given India’s extensive vaccination drive with effective vaccines, there is no need for panic about the surge in Covid-19 cases in China.