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Vaccinate teens in mission mode, PM Modi tells officials; asks to convene meeting with CMs
A meeting with chief ministers will be convened to discuss state-specific scenarios, best practices and the public health response, PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reviewed the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country in the wake of the rise in cases, fuelled by the Omicron variant, and asked to accelerate the vaccine drive for adolescents in a mission mode. A meeting with chief ministers will be convened to discuss state-specific scenarios, best practices and the public health response, PM Modi said.
At the meeting, PM Modi was briefed about the global scenario of the pandemic. Health officials presented to him the situation in India, the states and districts of concern and the steps taken by the ministry so far. A progress report of the vaccination of teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 years was submitted to PM Modi. From January 3 onwards, vaccination of adolescents has started in the country and, according to health ministry data, 31% of adolescents have been administered with the 1st dose so far within 7 days. "PM noted this achievement and urged to further accelerate the vaccine drive for adolescents in mission mode," the statement issued by the government said.
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PM Modi stressed the continuous need of adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour and directed that intensive containment and active surveillance should go on in clusters reporting higher cases.
There should not be any disruption in the non-Covid health services, PM Modi said, urging officials to leverage telemedicine in remote and rural areas.
PM Modi spoke about the importance of continuous scientific research in testing, vaccines and pharmacological interventions including genome sequencing given that the virus is evolving continuously.
Union home minister Amit Shah, health minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, minister of state for health Bharati Pravin Pawar, Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul, ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava and other top health ministry officials were present. Health minister Dr Mandaviya will interact with the health ministers of the states and Union territories on Monday.
