Increase vigilance at airports, amp up gene sequencing: Inside UP’s alert for Covid-19 management

COVID-19 alert in Uttar Pradesh: After the Union Health Ministry’s high-profile meeting got over, the Uttar Pradesh government said in its advisory that people should avoid venturing into crowded places unnecessarily. Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brijesh Pathak said that in a bid to tackle COVID-19 scare, vigilance needs to be heightened at airports and people returning from infected countries should be tested. 

Pathak added that gene sequencing of COVID suspects and positive samples needs to be amped up to detect the new variant more accurately. He added that airport authorities also need to identify passengers showing symptoms including cold and fever.

Pathak mentioned that people who have returned from travel should be in home isolation. He added the state health department should make a list of people who have returned from abroad and monitor their health status for 12-14 days. Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM also instructed health and medical education departments to be prepared and increase vigilance. 

The health department has also been directed to make arrangements for resources like oxygen, RT-PCR, CT scan, X-ray machines, pathology tests, masks, PPE kits, and gloves in sufficient quantity. The minister furthermore noted the risk of infection has gone up in China and that people need to take adequate precautions to be safe from coronavirus. 

He further stated that if it is extremely urgent to venture into crowded places, then people must wear a face mask and exercise proper caution. Pathak said, “Avoid going in crowded places unnecessarily. Go out only by wearing a mask. Exercise caution. Follow the directions.” 

Amid a spate of government advisories on COVID-19 and ways to deal with it, Chairman of the Institute of Internal Medicine and Respiratory and Sleep Medicine and Director at Medanta’s MedEdu Dr Randeep Guleria said that viral infections tend to rise in the winter season and that people need to take booster dose. 

Earlier in the day, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari sought a ban on flights to and from China and strict COVID-19 restrictions in India. 

Tewari tweeted, “Given the alarming COVID-19 situation in China, the government must suspend all flights to and from China ASAP. Given the spike in the US, Japan, and South Korea and the possibility of a new lethal variant emerging India should consider reintroducing COVID-19 protocols.”

Meanwhile, three cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7 have been detected in India. Two cases have been reported in Gujarat and one has been reported from Odisha so far, news agency PTI reported. BF.7 variant is driving the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in China. 

(With inputs from Abhishek Mishra, PTI)

Also read: COVID-19 scare: Maharashtra govt to form a state task force, says Devendra Fadnavis

Also read: Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV Launches in India: All You Need To Know

Also read: Covid variant BF.7 spreading like wildfire in China: How worried should you be?

Also read: RRR on British Film Institute's The 50 best films of 2022 list