No entry to malls, banks, offices for people sans second dose of Covid-19 vaccine from January: Anil Vij
SGT Times Reporter
Chandigarh, December 19
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij today said that from January 1, 2022, people who have not got the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will not be permitted to congested areas like restaurants, malls, banks, offices etc. Apart from this, he said that we want to make Haryana self-reliant in the matter of the availability of oxygen in the country.
Vij said this in response to a question to a Calling Attention Motion moved in the ongoing winter session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here today.
Vij said that the new variant of Covid, Omicron’s concern is a public concern and the whole world is worrying about it, along with WHO, how infectious or dangerous it is, which is still not completely revealed. He said that we remember the officers and employees, including doctors, paramedical staff, nurses, ambulance drivers, who have died while rendering their services during Covid-19. A Wall of Memory has been built at the Headquarters of the Health Department, which he himself has inaugurated. He said that so far 28 people of the health department have lost their lives, out of which dependents of 27 people have been given compensation of Rs. 50 lakh and the exercise is on to give one more compensation soon. Similarly, he said that the frontline workers, including the employees of Police and Urban Local Bodies Department, want this type of wall of memory to be built at the Police Headquarters also and in the ULBs also they have decided to build this type of Wall of Memory. He said that this history has to be written and directions have also been given by him to constitute a committee to write the history of this pandemic. During this, people’s lives were saved, medicine, oxygen and PPE kits were also ensured to the people in crisis and the description of the martyrdom of the people would also be included in this documentation.
Vij said that he had conducted a survey in which 30 per cent of people were from outside Haryana during the second wave of Covid-19, but still we did the work of saving their lives by providing additional beds. Apart from this, the Haryana Government built 500-bedded hospitals in Panipat and Hisar. He said that to deal with the third wave, we also have the experience of two waves and during the second wave 15,000 infected people were coming on a daily basis but due to successful vaccination drive in the country it is expected that the third wave may not come, but still we are identifying those hospitals which can be utilized in any such situations. Apart from this, work is also being done to take cooperation from private institutions and also the services of medical students will be taken as during the previous waves and in the coming days, 980 doctors will also be recruited soon. Apart from this, the paramedical staff will also come in the next 15 to 20 days. Vij said that the work of medical colleges of Koriyawas, Bhiwani and Jind has been allotted and the work of medical colleges of Yamunanagar, Sirsa and Gurugram is under process.
Vij said that till now no decision has been taken by the Central Government regarding the booster dose. He said that he himself is the health minister and during the second wave he got admitted to the civil hospital in Ambala and on everyone insistence, he went to PGI but then people took him to Medanta.
Regarding vaccination, the minister said that both doses of vaccination are a strong shield to avoid corona infection along with it the usage of masks and maintaining social distancing is also very important. He said that he had sent a wireless message to all the SPs and Commissioners of Police of the State that those who are not wearing masks should be fined Rs. 500/- and ordered the DCs to do random checking on social gatherings or events. Vij said that he wants the vaccination to become a mass movement and, in this episode, he urged the members of the house to motivate people to get the second dose of vaccination in their respective constituencies. Arrangements will be made to set up camps and health teams will be sent there to ensure successful vaccination.
While giving the vaccination data, Vij said that in Ambala district 106 percent of the people are administered with first dose and 97 percent with second dose, In Bhiwani 92 percent people are administered with first dose and 69 percent with second dose, In Charkhi Dadri, 96 percent people are administered with the first dose and 83 percent with the second dose, In Faridabad, 112 percent people are administered with first dose and 75 percent with second dose, in Fatehabad first dose 81 percent and second dose 41 percent, in Gurugram, first dose 129 percent and second dose 101 percent, in Hisar 79 percent and second dose 42 percent, in Jhajjar the first dose 98 percent and the second dose 62 percent, in Jind the first dose 78 percent and the second dose 44 percent, in Kaithal the first dose 84 percent and the second dose 56 percent, in Karnal the first dose 89 percent and second dose 57 percent, in Kurukshetra 85 percent first dose and second dose 53 percent, in Mahendragarh the first dose 87 percent and second dose 57 percent, in Nuh 64 percent first dose, in Palwal 80 percent of first dose and second dose 45 percent.
Vij also presented case wise details of those infected with Omicron variant found in Haryana.
Case-1: A patient named Samarth Gulati, age 23 years, is a resident of the UK and had reached India after spending three days in Dubai. He was on his way to visit his relative in Gurugram. He was tested positive at the airport and has been kept in the Government Quarantine Facility since December 14, 2021. He was travelling alone. The patient was immediately contacted by the Haryana State Surveillance Unit by telephone and asked about his health. The patient has no symptoms and has not travelled across Haryana. Appropriate directions have been given to the Surveillance Unit Gurugram.
Case-2 On the same day on December 17, 2021, another Omicron infected 18-year-old patient Abhinandan was also reported by Delhi State Surveillance Unit. He is a student and was travelling back to his home from the UK. He was travelling alone. He tested positive at the airport and has been kept at LNJP Hospital since December 13, 2021. Proper directions have been given to Gurugram.
Under Case-3: On December 18, 2021, the Delhi State Surveillance Unit received information about a 55-year-old Omicron infected person named Praveen Kumar. He was travelling from the UK to his home in Gurugram and was symptomatic on arrival. His test report at the airport was found positive. The patient has been admitted to Max Hospital, Saket from December 13, 2021, and is now symptom-free. All three have been admitted to hospitals in Delhi and have not travelled across Haryana.
In another case, Nikita Sawhney returned from Canada on December 13, 21021, tested COVID positive on December 14, 2021, her sample was sent for WGS and on December 20, 2021, has been found Omicron positive. Her two primary contacts, mother and aunt, have also tested positive for COVID. Her aunt Anupama Ganju, who lives in Delhi is staying with Nikita. Samples of her mother and aunt have also been sent for WGS sampling. All three have been quarantined at Asian Fidelis, a private health facility in Faridabad. Vij informed that out of the list of international passengers being shared by the airport authority, 22,918 international passengers have been taken under surveillance and 17,933 are under ITPCR. Tests have been conducted and the persons found positive have been sent for complete gene sequencing whose result is expected. IEC is being done to promote COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) in public and a strict protocol is being ensured. The state government has set up 22 molecular laboratories in government health facilities.
The minister said that till December 19, 2021, a total of 3,11,86,292 doses have been given, out of which the first dose: 1,91,10,472 (93%) and the second dose: 1,20,75,820 (59%) have been given under the status of Covid-19 vaccination. Adequate stock of medicines, isolation beds, oxygen equipped beds, ICU beds and ventilators are available in satisfactory quantities with the State Government for the treatment of Covid patients.
He said that compensation is being provided by the government to the families of those who died due to Covid, under which an ex-gratia amount of Rs 50,000 for all citizens of Haryana, Rs 2 lakh for BPL cardholders in the age group of 18-50 years, for employees special ex-gratia grant of Rs 5 lakh for regular / contract/ad hoc / outsourcing / etc.). The state government has also provided a special compassionate monetary benefit of Rs 20 lakh for corona warriors, health workers (government and government employees) deployed for COVID duty. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme of Rs 50 lakh has also been implemented for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19.
Covid vaccination drive has been successfully implemented in the state and from November 2021, ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign has been implemented to reach every doorstep and vaccinate the remaining persons. Till December 19, 2021, a total of 3,11,86,292 doses have been given, out of which the first dose: 1,91,10,472 (93%) and the second dose: 1,20,75,820 (59%) have been given.
