No fresh case of Omicron in Meghalaya, govt set to roll out booster doses for elderly people from next week
No fresh case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus was reported in the state even as the government on Friday decided to increase testing on people who are symptomatic besides rolling out the precaution dose for 60 years and above from next week.
“No new case of Omicron variant has been reported in the state so far,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told journalists after a meeting to review the COVID-19 scenario in the state.
He informed that the health condition of the single active case of Omicron at Laitumkhrah is improving. Of four Omicron cases reported, three have already recovered. These include two from Saiden village in Ri Bhoi district and one from Happy Valley.
As on Friday, the state has recorded 64 new COVID-19 cases.
The deputy chief minister also announced the government’s decision to roll out the vaccination drive for administering the precaution (or booster) dose to people who are 60 years and above from January 10.
This is in line with the direction issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Thursday to all states and union territories pertaining to the need to administer the precaution dose to all health care workers (HCWs), front line workers (FLWs) and 60+ population.
“Enough vaccines have reached the state and now the health department is working out to start the vaccination drive for the booster dose by next week,” Tynsong said.
“First, we will start giving the booster dose for those who are 60 years and above and our second target would be the health workers and the frontliners,” he added.
He further informed that producing a negative RT-PCR report within 72 hours is mandatory for all people irrespective of vaccinated or not vaccinated at all entry points to the state.
Tynsong said that in order to prevent spread of the Omicron variant, the government has decided to increase the testing of people, especially those who are symptomatic.
“We have issued necessary protocols that such people need to go for testing willingly, not necessarily the health worker has to go and force them to do the testing. People having mild symptoms are requested to get themselves tested for COVID-19,” he stated.
“If they are found to be positive after testing, patients who are symptomatic are directed to strictly go for home isolation for seven days while those who are asymptomatic, they need to complete five days home isolation. Their health condition will accordingly be monitored by the health workers,” he added.
According to him, this protocol is based on the advisories issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare as well as the World Health Organization (WHO).
Urging all eligible citizens of the state from 15 years and above to get vaccinated at the earliest possible, Tynsong said, “I would request once again to all citizens of the state to take this opportunity to get yourselves vaccinated as the government had already created vaccination centres everywhere even upto the village level.”
“People may raise questions as to why they should go for vaccination since they will still get infected by the virus but let me tell you the severity as of today is very less and hospitalization rate is very less. This is because those who have already vaccinated though they get infected or get positive they don’t need hospitalization (meaning) within seven days time or five days time they will recover by themselves because of the vaccination,” he informed.
Regarding the exorbitant bills charged by private hospitals for COVID treatment, the deputy chief minister said that the issue has been addressed after the state government had reframed the packages of the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS).
“That has been done and now those who get treatment as far as COVID-19 is concerned or even Omicron variant everything is already in place where they don’t have to worry about anything,” he assured.
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