Amid spike in cases, Bengal lays emphasis on awareness drives

kolkata: In the wake of a sudden rise in daily Covid cases across Bengal, the state health department has directed various districts especially those which report maximum number of cases to give more emphasis on awareness campaigns so that the people follow Covid protocols while visiting crowded areas.

Senior health department officials will hold a meeting with the officials from North 24-Parganas and Kolkata to assess the current situation in both the districts and how to check the spread of infection. Kolkata and North 24-Parganas have been the highest contributors of daily cases. What are the areas where the infection is higher and how to tackle them may be discussed during the meeting. Completion of booster doses among the elderly people may be given utmost priority during the meeting. The rate of Covid infection in Bengal has almost touched 15 per cent on an average basis.

The district administrative officials have already been asked to make people aware about the booster vaccination as a sizeable number of populations, especially the elderly citizens, have shown reluctance to get the booster jab. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is chalking out plans to conduct booster dose vaccination at the doorsteps for the senior citizens. State health department on Thursday issued an advisory giving a detailed outline regarding how to combat the situation as the Covid cases are on the rise. The advisory also spoke about the door to door vaccination campaign in specific areas where elderly vaccination is lower rate. It has also given an emphasis on the completion of primary vaccination.

According to experts, the majority of cases in the state are mild and asymptomatic. Only asymptomatic and fully vaccinated people should preferably attend the public gatherings following the Covid protocols, state health department guidelines said. State government also said that No Covd tests are required in case of routine hospital admission and no patient can be referred to another hospital for lack of facility of testing. After early February, daily Covid cases in Bengal crossed 1,500 marks.