Jammu, January 02: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level meeting to review Covid-19 status, Omicron, vaccination for 15-18 age group, and preparedness of health infrastructure across the J&K UT.
While chairing the meetings with Covid Task Force and DCs, SPs, the Lt Governor issued directions for ensuring the functioning of oxygen plants, availability of requisite medicines, audit of ICU and Oxygen supported beds across all hospitals in the UT, in view of the new variant and rise in the cases across the country.
The Lt Governor directed Deputy Commissioners and Health officials to ensure the infrastructure beginning from the Panchayat Level is strengthened and optimally utilized. Health teams in the districts were directed to focus on prompt contact tracing, audit of oxygen cylinders and concentrators as well as availability and functioning of ventilators.
The meeting discussed the time-bound implementation of the action plan of the Covid vaccination drive for 15-18 years age group to be started on January 3, 2022.
Enquiring about the modalities and preparations done for the smooth administering of Covid vaccine to the 15-18 age group, the Lt Governor directed for ensuring observance of the mandatory monitoring period of 30 minutes of each inoculated person.
District wise status of covid containment measures was sought from the respective Deputy Commissioners where they informed the chair about the implementation of Covid protocols and awareness campaigns being run to sensitize people regarding the danger of omicron variant of covid.
The Lt Governor directed the Health department and District teams to keep their men and machinery ready, health infra, testing and vaccination capacities up to the mark, and undertake a dry run of PSA Oxygen Plants and other health equipment for effective management of any emergent situation.
Reviewing various parameters of covid analysis, the Lt Governor underlined the importance of following Covid Appropriate Behaviour, which includes maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. He directed the District administrations to ensure proper implementation of Covid Protocol and following of CAB in their districts.
Directions were also issued to Directors of Health Services Jammu, and Kashmir to conduct a meticulous mock-drill for preparing their resources to deal with any emergent situation.
The Lt Governor asked the Deputy Commissioners and CMOs to submit a joint report enlisting the steps of preparation and status of health infra and human resources in their respective districts to effectively deal with any emergent situation.
The Lt Governor also congratulated the people of Anantnag and Budgam for completing 100% coverage of 2nd dose of the Covid vaccine.
Vivek Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department gave a detailed briefing on the analysis of the Covid-19 situation, District-wise threat level, testing, contact tracing, and vaccination across the UT, besides vaccine stock, and preparations for administering the vaccine to 15-18 age group.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lt Governor; Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department; 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 Jammu; Dr. Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir; Deputy Commissioners and SPs, attended the meetings, in person and through virtual mode.
