The first Covid-19 review meeting of the newly constituted Covid-19 state task force was held last Friday wherein all expert members unanimously predicted that the current Covid wave in Maharashtra is likely to decline till May and citizens should not panic but take precautions. The expert members said that the current Covid-19 wave is not dangerous and the cases are not severely symptomatic.
The meeting was headed by state health minister Tanaji Sawant, task force members and other officials of the public health department. All expert members said that the number of Covid-19 cases in the state is likely to decline till the middle of May. Dr Subhash Salunkhe, chairman of the Covid-19 state task force, informed that the prediction about the decline in Covid-19 cases was based on a statistical analysis of Covid-19 in Maharashtra as well as another study of clinical data of Covid cases in all medical colleges and Covid hospitals. In addition to these two studies, doctors across government and private hospitals in the state have also observed the current trends and forecast a decline in cases till May, Dr Salunkhe said.
During the meeting, it was decided that the government will speak with the Serum Institute of India (SII) and take further decisions regarding the Covovax vaccine manufactured by it. Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, former head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and member of the task force, said, “Covovax vaccine manufactured by the SII will be helpful in the current virus outbreak.” He also said that natural immunity will play a significant role when it comes to the new Covid-19 variant.
{{/usCountry}}During the meeting, it was decided that the government will speak with the Serum Institute of India (SII) and take further decisions regarding the Covovax vaccine manufactured by it. Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, former head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and member of the task force, said, “Covovax vaccine manufactured by the SII will be helpful in the current virus outbreak.” He also said that natural immunity will play a significant role when it comes to the new Covid-19 variant.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Rajesh Karyakarte, member of the task force, informed that the clinical study of the current Covid-19 situation has found that patients infected with the current Covid-19 variant hardly require oxygen support. However, he advised elderly people above 60 years of age to take special precautions. “The use of face masks has to be made compulsory for Covid-19 patients and their family members,” he said.
The meeting discussed how a majority of Covid-19 deaths currently reported were in patients over 60 years of age. It needed to be analysed whether the cause of deaths in these patients was only Covid-19 or some other underlying disease along with Covid-19. Accordingly, all deputy directors of the state, district health officers, civil surgeons and health officers of municipal corporations would be asked to submit a detailed report about the deaths in their respective jurisdictions.
The meeting highlighted the importance of private- hospitals and labs participating in Covid-19 management similar to government hospitals and labs. It is mandatory for private hospitals to submit Covid-19 reports as Covid-19 is a notifiable disease. Orders would be issued to private hospitals to submit the reports of Covid-19 patients. The meeting emphasised that the issues and shortcomings faced during the mock drill conducted in the state on April 10 and 11, 2023 needed to be resolved and healthcare facilities needed to be made well equipped to handle any surge in Covid-19 cases in future.