Shimla: Amidst spike in the Covid cases and high rate of infection, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday decided to provide free of cost vaccination to people between 18 to 44 years in government health institutions.
The Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, also reviewed the Covid-19 situation in the state admitting that spurt in the cases and high fatality has sent alarms and decided to seek help of the Panchayats and Urban Local bodies to enforce strict compliance of the Covid restrictions.
The Cabinet also decided that all the government officers and officials will preferably get vaccinated in government hospitals and health institutions.
The government decided to constitute Mobile Teams at block level to provide better treatment to the Covid-19 patients under home isolation and one vehicle would be provided exclusively to shift the serious patients.
"Each medical college will have a dedicated team headed by a senior doctor to supervise the Covid-19 cases for better treatment of patients in hospitals. The government will provide incentives to the outsourced employees engaged in Covid-19 pandemic @200 per shift. The government besides providing better treatment to Covid patients under home isolation, will also be provided a nutrition kit," said a government spokesman.
The state government, on Thursday, also authorised the Deputy Commissioners to impose night restrictions and order closure of the markets and institutions depending upon the situation in the respective districts.
Meanwhile, the spike in the cases and inability of the hospitals to cope with the rush of the Covid cases has started sending panic among the citizens.
The low testing and delays in the reports have resulted in added problems.
Sanay Chauhan, former Shimla Mayor said, "The state government did not preparations knowing that second wave was going to hit hard.There are no beds ,no ventilators and case in the hospitals. Why don't the government create the web portal to inform the people as where the beds are available," he asked.
Today, the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues contributed their one month salary towards the Chief Minister Covid Fund in the Cabinet. The cheques were handed over by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to the Chief Secretary Anil Khachi on the occasion.
This was after criticism of the government for imposing two day salary cuts on the class – I and II employees for Covid care fund.