The Centre’s 5-fold strategy for tackling the ‘Omicron’ threat

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asked all the states to keep the vigil on and ready with all sorts of preparedness to tackle the recent threat due to Omicron.

The following 5-fold strategy for tackling the recent ‘Omicron’ threat was re-emphasised:

1. On Containment, States were advised to:

Impose night curfews and ensure strict regulation of large gatherings, especially ahead of the forthcoming festivities.
Promptly notify “Containment Zones”, “Buffer Zones” in case in new clusters of Covid positive cases.
Ensure strict perimeter control of Containment Zone as per extant guidelines.
Send all cluster samples to INSACOG Labs for Genome Sequencing without delay.

2. On Testing and Surveillance:

Conduct tests as per extant ICMR and MoHFW guidelines
Ensure door-to-door case search in the containment areas
Test all SARI/ILI and vulnerable/co-morbid people
Ensure right proportion of RT-PCR: RAT (at least 60:40) tests in total tests being conducted daily. This can be ramped up to 70:30 ratio.
Ensure contact tracing of all COVID positive persons & their timely testing, especially in clusters reporting high numbers
Utilize the access to “AIR SUVIDHA” Portal to monitor the international passengers

3. On Clinical management:

Increase bed capacity, ensure logistics like ambulances and enforce mechanism for seamless shifting of patients.
Ensure operational readiness of oxygen equipment
Maintain buffer stock of essential medicines of at least 30 days
Utilize funds sanctioned under Emergency COVID Response Package (ECRP-II) to ensure that the requisite capacity of health systems is developed at/near hotspots to respond to any emergency. State health secretaries to monitor the status and progress of fiscal spending and physical progress in this regard on a daily basis.
Ensure stringent enforcement of home quarantine/ isolation as per extant guidelines

4. On front of COVID Safe Behaviour:

Ensure advance engagement and information so that there is no misinformation or panic,
Communicate transparently on hospital and testing infrastructure availability,
Conduct regular press briefings.
Encourage community participation and strict enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour.

5. Regarding Vaccination:

Ensure 100% coverage of left out first and second dose eligible beneficiaries in an accelerated manner Give special focus to be given to those districts where the first & second dose coverage is less than the national average.
Strengthen door-to-door vaccination campaign especially in States/UTs where vaccination coverage is below the national average.
States going in for elections in the near future to exponentially ramp up the vaccination, especially in the low coverage districts to protect the vulnerable population.
Pockets with low vaccination coverage and those with low COVID exposure may be more vulnerable to the new Omicron variant. States to accord special attention to ramp up vaccination in these pockets.