Experts suggest living in lockdown mode
Sanjeev K. Sharma
JAMMU, July 22: While the Corona warriors in J&K worked very hard and some of them even sacrificed their lives to lower the number of COVID deaths and infections during the second wave of ongoing deadly pandemic, the experts suggested that present careless behaviour of public which is not at all following COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) is really a matter of concern and worry.
Remembering the tough days of second wave, Dr Shashi Sudan-Principal Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu said: “It was April 22 this year when we had admissions and deaths in clusters of those infected with deadly Coronavirus.”
“It was infact the advent of second wave here on that day when we had 74 admissions and about 15 deaths including those who were brought dead at GMC Jammu,” Dr. Sudan who is also a renowned Microbiologist said adding that it was the highlight of second wave.
She claimed that precautions have a very important role to keep one safe in this pandemic.
“Keeping in view the present visits at hill stations like Patnitop, gatherings, no masks over faces, no CAB etc, third wave of the pandemic can be easily predicted,” she said.
She said, if people want to remain safe from the infection of Coronavirus, they should keep in mind that they have to live in lockdown mode for some more time even if lockdown restrictions are eased or removed completely.
Similarly, Dr Renu Sharma, Director of Health Services Jammu said most of the employees of her Directorate were infected by the deadly virus in first and second wave of the pandemic wherein some of them even lost their lives while fighting the invisible enemy.
“We strictly followed the guidelines of Union Health Ministry and our health workers and paramedics worked very hard on ground while the role of administrators was also commendable,” she said.
She said that maximum caseload and deaths in J&K was from Jammu province.
She also said that despite all challenges, emergency works in all district hospitals were normal wherein even at remote Government Hospitals in Bhaderwah caesarian operations of COVID positive ladies were successfully conducted in the first wave.
With a team of about 300 health workers including doctors and other staff, Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar which was designated as COVID Dedicated Hospital worked round the clock with doctors and others remaining on duty for seven days and going for quarantine for the next seven days.
“It was 120 patients in our Hospital when the pandemic was at its peak in second wave,” informed Dr Arun Sharma-Medical Superintendent at the COVID Dedicated Hospital adding that there were 18 COVID related deaths in the hospital while other patients were discharged after complete recovery from the disease.
“In Jammu province, 2126 deaths took place in the first two waves of COVID pandemic while there were 1,20,732 cases here of which 1,17,140 got cured,” informed Dr A D S Manhas, State Surveillance Officer adding: “We conducted about nine lakh RTPCR tests in Jammu province along with 49 lakh Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) tests.”
“Now vaccine has also come but still the people have to take all precautions as the pandemic is not yet over,” he maintained claiming that not even a single death in Jammu province took place for lack of oxygen and there was no shortage of oxygen here.
On children being at risk in the third wave, he said that augmentation is being done at paediatric wards in SMGS Hospital and doctors there are being trained on ventilators.
The Surveillance Officer expressed concern that despite awareness programmes public is violating safety norms of COVID and are taking the deadly pandemic casually.
“To ensure safety of our personnel almost 100 per cent of cops have taken both the doses of COVID vaccine and now they are ready to fight the virus along with health workers and other Corona warriors in third wave too,” IGP Headquarter Jammu Zone, Garib Dass told the Excelsior.
He said that in first and second wave they learnt that masking and social distancing is very important to avoid Corona infections and now the new hope for safety is vaccination.
“The Police Department too lost many of its personnel in war against the virus,” the IGP said adding that the public should cooperate and wear masks, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated so that together they can defeat the pandemic.
“We even had to go strict in first wave as Disaster Management Act was to be implemented else we never feel happy on using force on our people,” the senior police officer said.
“From time to time Indian Army remained making the public aware about safeguards to avoid Corona infection and is still continuing with that,” said PRO Defence, Lieutenant Colonel, Devinder Anand.
“In border areas where reach of civil administration is comparatively difficult, army is giving security and facilitating movement of health workers so that border people may get easily vaccinated,” he said.
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