Telangana urges Union Health Ministry to supply more vaccine doses to state

He sought immediate supply of the vaccines so that the state could step up booster dose delivery.

“In the case of a booster dose, if the national average is 23 percent, the Telangana average is 48 percent. This has been possible due to regular monitoring, vigilance, and raising awareness among the people, and we need more vaccines,” Harish Rao said at the meeting.

He said that in the context of a global increase in cases of the Omicron sub-variant BF.7, states should be informed about the symptoms of the virus, mode of spread, effect and treatment, so that they are more alert.

He also said that because there was no annual maintenance contract, ventilators and PSA plants from the Centre were not being repaired and steps should be taken to rectify the problem.

He assured the minister that the state would undertake the proposed mock drill to check readiness of hospital infrastructure on 27 December.

‘Ramp up vaccination’

Meanwhile, Minister Mandaviya advised states and Union territories to ramp up vaccination of all eligible populations, especially the elderly and the vulnerable (those with co-morbidities).

He asked the states to disseminate factually correct information in a timely manner. In view of the upcoming festive season, he stressed on the importance of public awareness campaigns and adherence to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour.

Mandaviya requested the state health ministers to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all infrastructure and ensure there is adequate stock of essential medicines.

He said that despite the emergence of new Covid variants, there is no change in the strategy being adopted to tackle the pandemic. And that is: “Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate & Adherence to Covid-Appropriate Behaviour.”

Genome sequencing

States should strengthen the surveillance system for whole-genome sequencing of positive case samples through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network to ensure timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country.

The focus should be on health facility-based sentinel surveillance; pan-respiratory virus surveillance; community-based surveillance; and sewage/wastewater surveillance. The minister highlighted the “need to collectively reinvigorate the system and  remove any sense of complacency and fatigue”.

The current spike in Covid-19 cases in China is being caused by the BF.7 variant, which is not a new emergence but a sublineage of Omicron BA.5.

Concern arose as four cases of BF.7 have been detected in India since July, but experts said there is no need to panic as these patients contracted the virus in the past and have since recovered.