New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination campaign ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ has been extended till December 31 with a focus on 100% coverage of first dose and completing the backlog of second dose vaccination. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level virtual meeting with states and Union Territories to review Covid-19 public health response measures and preparedness amid cases of potentially more contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19 being reported across various countries.
Underlining that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 can be detected with PCR and RAT tests, the Centre advised states and UTs to ramp up testing for early identification of any cases, undertake effective surveillance of international passengers and strictly monitor hotspots. States have also been advised to ramp up the pace and coverage of vaccination.
‘There is a continued need for further vaccination coverage, adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour and the need to avoid mass gatherings’, DG, ICMR Dr Balram Bharagava said. NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr Vinod Paul stated that the country is richer in its knowledge of the management of Covid-19′, the statement read. He also underlined the continued significance of Covid-appropriate behaviour, avoiding large gatherings and ramping up vaccination.
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The Centre had on Monday suggested that states and union territories can organise workplace Covid vaccination, targeting people due for their doses, and also provide badges to employees carrying messages to encourage their non-vaccinated colleagues to get inoculated. Besides these, the Union Health Ministry, as part of its strategy to nudge those who are to be vaccinated, also advised involving vaccinated influential figures and community leaders in districts or villages to motivate people to get anti-Covid shots.
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