‘Prioritise jabs for Univ, College students’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 31: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today chaired a series of meetings with COVID Task Force, Deputy Commissioners and District SSPs to review COVID situation across the Union Territory of J&K.
The meetings were the latest in the series, wherein the Lt Governor takes district-wise assessment of the COVID scenario in the UT and seeks action-taken report from the district administration.
J&K Government is getting full support from the Government of India in its fight against the global pandemic. Against the committed 6.5 lakh doses of vaccination for the current lot, the Government of India has provided more than 16 lakh doses to J&K which itself speaks about the undeterred commitment and dedicated attention of GoI towards saving precious lives, Sinha maintained.
This will also help the UT Government to achieve its target of covering 60 % of the population with the first dose by August, he added.
J&K’s average vaccination coverage of the first dose in 45 and above age group clocking 99.9%; positivity rate dropping to 0.2 % and all districts falling under Green Zone as per the stringent indicators for consecutive weeks are results of strenuous efforts by all, the Lt Governor observed.
In a meeting with the DCs and SSP, he directed for adopting zero-tolerance against non-observance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour to ensure that the COVID situation remains under control.
The Divisional Commissioners and DCs were instructed to monitor the working of Joint teams for effective enforcement of containment measures.
Adherence of COVID Appropriate Behaviour, 100% vaccination coverage of the targeted population, maximum testing, wearing of face masks, strict implementation of micro containment zones, effective clinical management need to be ensured in a mission mode to eliminate the threat of the 3rd wave, remarked the Lt Governor.
“The Lt Governor directed the Health Department to prioritize vaccination of college and university students. As the COVID situation in J&K has improved significantly, now we can work out a plan to open educational institutions in a staggered manner,” he added.
Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department gave a detailed district-wise analysis of COVID-19 pandemic including the status of vaccine availability and coverage; daily trend of COVID 19 cases; trend of daily testing done and daily positivity rate etc.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor; Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary to the Government, Home Department; Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Government, Public Works (R&B) Department; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Mukesh Singh, ADGP; Pandurang K Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir; Dr. Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Deputy Commissioners and SSPs, attended the meetings, in person and through virtual mode.