Prime Minister Narendra Modi warns against complacency

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who held a high-level review meeting in view of the rising number of Covid cases in several parts of the world including China, cautioned the people against complacency and urged them to wear masks in crowded places.

The PM also directed the officials to ramp up testing and genomic sequencing efforts, besides strengthening the ongoing surveillance measures, especially at international airports.

The Centre started two per cent random sampling of international travellers coming to the country and may consider making it mandatory if necessary.

The review meeting was attended by Amit Shah, Mansukh Mandaviya, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Dr S Jaishankar, Dr VK Paul, member (Health) NITI Aayog and others.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asked states to remain alert and create awareness about wearing face masks and using hand sanitisers, especially in view of upcoming festivals and new year celebrations.

He said the government is examining the reintroduction of mandatory 'air suvidha' forms with details of RT-PCR test conducted 72 hours prior to travel or complete vaccination proof for passengers coming from China and other countries reporting high number of Covid cases.

In Delhi schools and societies on Thursday aimed to bolster their Covid preparedness, with issuing Covid safety circulars to safeguard schoolchildren and residents. Schools announced that wearing of masks from Monday would be mandatory.

The Karnataka government decided to conduct mandatory testing of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in the state. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asked the state health department to launch a drive to administer booster doses of vaccines to beneficiaries. Kerala decided to conduct whole genome sequencing of more samples. Haryana's Health Minister Anil Vij asked people to voluntarily follow precautionary measures like wearing of masks. .

The Punjab government called a meeting of officials of the state health department to discuss the situation. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin directed officials to screen all passengers arriving to the state at the international airport in Chennai for Covid symptoms.

The Andhra Pradesh government said it is ready to handle any eventuality in view of the sudden spurt of Covid cases in certain countries.

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said Covid situation in the state was under control and there was no active case of the BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron. Screening of visitors at the Taj Mahal and other monuments in wake of the new Covid alert has begun.

The Jharkhand government asked officials to send for whole genome sequencing of all positive samples of coronavirus to track variants.