HD to suggest steps to tackle third wave
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today called upon all 20 Deputy Commissioners in the Union Territory to activate all 20,000 COVID Care Centre (CCC) beds in their districts for admitting Corona positive patients with no or mild symptoms who can’t do home isolation. All such Centres will be opened closer to rural areas where the virus is spreading fast.
The directions were issued today by State Executive Committee (SEC) Chairperson and Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam as part of additional COVID-19 containment measures,
“The Deputy Commissioners will activate all 20,000 CCC beds in the districts for admitting COVID positive patients with no or mild symptoms who cannot do home isolation, The COVID Care Centres will be opened closer to rural areas. Health Department will work out the feasibility of providing some of these CCC beds with oxygen support,” the SEC order said.
It further asked the Health Department to constitute a Committee to suggest measures to tackle possible third COVID wave.
It added that the Deputy Commissioners will utilize all available staff for COVID related work such as mobilization for vaccination, testing, surveillance and information, Education and Communication activities including Government staff whose institutions are otherwise closed.
The Chief Secretary said ASHA and Anganwadi workers will be trained and empowered to assist in COVID mitigation efforts and directed that COVID testing should become more targeted and focus on areas with high positivity and on unvaccinated population.
He also directed the Health Department to ensure establishment of Telemedicine arrangements in all districts to enable patients to call and consult doctors.
He added that the districts will set up local district level triage centres to ensure proper examination of patients and correct referral, reducing unnecessary load of tertiary and referral hospitals.
“The General Administration department will issue orders to ensure that there is only 50 percent attendance in Government offices below the level of Under Secretary except in the Secretariats and HoD offices where staff has already been split by half. However, all staff needed for COVID related duties will continue to attend their COVID related work assigned to them by the Deputy Commissioners,” the SEC order said.
It said payments under MGNREGA, pension and other schemes will be expedited to provide relief to the people.
It said necessary orders for implementation of these directions will be issued by the concerned District Disaster Management Authorities.
The SEC guidelines said essential services to be permitted during Corona curfew which has already been extended till 7 am May 24 will be limited to the barest minimum and not too expansive in order to minimize movement.
The District Magistrates will issue passes wherever necessary.
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