In the face of declining cases of the novel coronavirus in Punjab, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered expanding the contact tracing of positive patients to 15 persons as part of a slew of measures to strengthen the Covid-19 management systems amid apprehension of second wave.
The Chief Minister has also made it mandatory for the hospitals and radiology labs, conducting CT scans, to report such patients to the state administration in case of suspicion of coronavirus.
Further, to streamline and prioritize the process of Covid-19 vaccination, the Chief Minister has ordered a state-level three-tier vaccine supervision mechanism, comprising a steering committee as well as state and district task force, to be put in place.
In sharp contrast to some other states that are depending heavily on less reliable Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), Capt Amarinder has directed the Health Department to make RT-PCR the rule, with RAT to be treated as exception.
At the same time, the Chief Minister also ordered another Sero Survey to assess the ground situation.
In other steps, the Chief Minister directed 24x7 testing facility to be made available at District Hospitals, all fever cases or other symptomatic coming to the health facilities to be tested with RTPCR and all patients attending the flu corners to be tested with RTPCR. He stressed the need to make arrangements for walk-in testing at multiple points, and asked the Health Department to consider branching out testing by scaling up local initiatives like Mohali’s out-door testing.
The Chief Minister asked the Health Department to get information from private and public hospitals regarding COVID-19 mortality and complete the audit by November 9 so that remedial action can be taken by mid-November.
Emphasizing the importance of ensuring preparedness for a second wave, he also directed the Department to meet manpower shortage, especially in Level-II facilities, by filling all gaps in mission mode. Those who have been selected must be immediately given appointment letters and asked to join, he said, in response to a concern expressed on this count by Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu.
Chairing a virtual meeting of medical and health experts and officials, the Chief Minister also warned against any complacency amid projections of a more severe second wave, in keeping with the global trend.
He urged the organizers of social and religious congregations, that have been permitted, to also encourage the participants to get themselves tested. He asked officials to encourage citizens’ organizations and NGOs, and also to reach out to people through the Lok Sanjhedari programme, to discourage the use of firecrackers this Diwali season.
Noting that people were now relying on CT scans in a big way instead of getting themselves tested for COVID-19, the Chief Minister directed the Health Department to make sharing of information regarding those coming for CT scans with the health authorities.
The State Government’s health expert committee head, Dr KK Talwar, earlier said that unless checked, the practice of patients confining themselves to CT scans could be dangerous for the State.
To ensure that distribution of vaccine, once available, is prioritized among the vulnerable groups, including health workers and people with co-morbidities, Capt Amarinder ordered the constitution of a State Steering Committee, to be headed by the Chief Secretary, with monthly meetings to supervise the progress.
A State Task Force, to be headed by Principal Secretary Health, shall hold meetings every fortnight, while at the district level, the Districts Magistrates will head the District Task Force, which will meet on a weekly basis.
Stressing the need for extreme caution and extensive testing so that the situation, which has improved in recent weeks, does not aggravate, the Chief Minister said that the positivity rate had come down to around two percent but the State could not afford to be lax under any circumstances. He stressed the need to increase surveillance and strictly follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour till a safe and effective vaccine is available.
The Chief Minister asked the concerned departments to dedicate the month of November to carry out testing of all staff, including health, police, revenue and other civilian staff.
“The State Government has already sanctioned approximately Rs 900 crore for COVID-19 response and funds will not be allowed to become a constraint for ensuring full preparation and best response,” he said while directing the Health Department to increase testing to 30,000 a day, with at least 100 tests per lakh population.
The focus areas for monthly testing in the State would be healthcare workers, government staff, industry workers, migrant labour (mandis, residential areas of labour, brick-kilns etc), office and commercial establishments, markets, schools or colleges, multiplexes, containment or micro containment zones, persons with co morbidities, dhabas or restaurants.
“At least 50 percent samples should be from these categories,” said the Chief Minister, directing the Health and Medical Education Departments to come up with weekly sampling or surveillance plans indicating focus area.
Health Secretary Hussan Lal said that testing needed to be increased particularly in Bathinda, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozpur, Mohali, Mukstar and Pathankot.
Medical Education Secretary DK Tiwari said that there were at present 95 patients admitted in the three medical colleges, with no death being reported in these institutions in the past one week.
To a query from the Chief Minister regarding plasma therapy response, Tiwari said that of the 71 patients given the therapy in government medical colleges, six had not survived, while in the private institutions, eight of the 47 given plasma therapy had died.