Leave Hospital Beds For Critical COVID Cases, Appeals Odisha Health Secy

Bhubaneswar:  Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Pradipta Mohapatra on Friday said the situation in Khurda, Cuttack and districts, bordering Chhattisgarh is sensitive, and requested people to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour to help the government in bringing coronavirus cases under control.

Addressing mediapersons, Mohapatra requested people not to panic. “Do not panic if you test COVID positive and follow home isolation along with the prescribed guidelines. Please leave the hospital beds for critical patients,” he said and asked the patients to contact government helpline numbers like 104 for any information.

Home isolation is the best place as you will be in your comfort zone,  he said and added that about 89% cases of the present active cases in the state are at home. They are being provided medicine kits, he added.

Informing about the vaccination process, Mohapatra said priority will be given to persons eligible for second dose. People should also come forward and allow the persons eligible for the second dose to avail it, he said.

He added that 1.93 crore people in the 18-44 age group will get COVID vaccine shots for free as promised by the government. “We have placed orders but not sure as to when will the vaccine arrive. We have already given Rs 700 crore to Odisha State Medical Corporation  limited for vaccines purchase,” he added

Informing that there is no shortage of beds or oxygen, Mohapatra said government has tied up with private hospitals for the purpose and the district heads have also been authorised to decide at their end after considering the situation in their areas.

He said that directives have been issued to ensure that no oxygen cylinder remains empty in any hospital. “We have been supplying oxygen to other states due to surplus availability. But if situation arises demand of our state will be given priority,” said Mohapatra.

Rapid antigen testing has been increased from about 8,000 to nearly 18,000 and plans are also to further increase it to it 50,000. As many as 30 contacts of a positive person are being traced and tests conducted, he added.

Stating that Odisha has adequate stock of Remdesivir he said the state’s daily consumption is 1200 injections, and the government has a stock of 43,000 at present. The state has placed order for 3 lakh more and of those, 21,000 injections are likely to reach the state tomorrow, he added.

The shortage of the injections prevails in private hospitals, he added.