50% of institutional quarantine facilities existing during 2nd wave should be made operational: New guidelines

KOLKATA: At least 50 per cent of the institutional quarantine facilities as existed during the second wave of Covid should be made operational, said the new guidelines issued by the state government on Sunday. As per the guidelines, state government has advised both the government and private hospitals to review the arrangements and facilities for the treatment Covid in the hospitals so that proper treatment can be given to those who require hospital admission. State government has urged Covid positive patients but asymptomatic to go for home isolation.

Incidentally, state Health department on last Friday directed all the private hospitals to increase beds, stock medicines and oxygen on an emergency basis as the next one month may be a crucial time for the health establishments in the wake of a whopping spike in daily Covid cases in Bengal.

The Health department has also directed all the civic bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the district administrations to set up micro containment zones in those

areas where Omicron infected cases have been reported.

The Health department apprehends that daily infection will further go up as a result a third wave is imminent.The state government wants all private hospitals to scale up beds to the level of the first wave to accommodate the rising number of cases.

Hospitals with labs will share regular data with Swasthya Bhavan to help the government keep a tab on the spread of infection.Senior health officials have held a series of virtual meeting with the private hospitals giving necessary instructions.