Centre steps up Covid surveillance, urges wearing masks in crowded places

The centre today advised people to mask up in crowded areas and decided to hold weekly meetings to monitor the country's Covid situation after alarming reports from China prompted a high-level meeting to chalk out the strategy to prevent a surge in the country.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a meeting with top officials and experts on the Covid situation in the country. After the meeting, the minister tweeted, "COVID is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance. We are prepared to manage any situation."

VK Paul, a member of NITI Aayog who heads the national task force on Covid, has said there is no need to panic, and that adequate tests are being conducted. He advised people to wear masks in crowded areas. Mr Paul said there is no change in the guidelines for international air travel yet.

Soon after the meeting concluded, Mandaviya took to Twitter to share an update with the public. He informed on Twitter that he has asked all concerned health authorities to maintain vigil and "strengthen surveillance." He assured the public by saying that the country is "prepared to manage any situation."

Meanwhile, Centre is also likely to keep a check on tourists arriving from affected countries.

Dr VK Paul of NITI Aayog said that people should take precaution dose, especially senior citizens.

He said, "Only 27-28 percent of people have taken precaution dose. We appeal to others, especially senior citizens, to take precaution dose. Precaution dose is mandated and guided to everyone. Use a mask if you are in a crowded space, indoors or outdoors. This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or are of higher age."

Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Tuesday expressed concern over reports of a rising COVID-19 graph in China but said there is no need to panic as the vaccination coverage in India is excellent.Poonawalla's tweet came a day after the Union Health Ministry urged all states and UTs to ramp up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of newer variants, if any, amid a spurt in cases in the US and China.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pune-based SII had collaborated with Oxford University and pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca for making the Covishield vaccine.

In October, Pooanwalla said the SII stopped producing the vaccine in December 2021. Of the total stock available at that time, about 100 million doses had already expired, he had said.