Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Friday that the state has achieved 100% first dose covid vaccination of the targeted population above the age of 18 years. Veena George added that 83% of the total population have been given both doses.
Over five crore doses have been given to people belonging to various categories and it was significant to achieve this feat at a time when the pandemic is surging, she told the media. ‘The goal was achieved through a special vaccination drive keeping in focus the third wave of the pandemic. The vaccine doses have been allotted by the Centre after calculating the population above the age of 18 to be 2,67,09,000’,the minister said. She also urged those yet to receive the jab to get vaccinated soon.
Stating that in the wake of the spread of the infection, the minister said that cases reported in offices and institutions have been increasing and a cluster management formed to tackle this. She said that an infection control team (ICT) should be formed in all institutions and offices and selected team members should be trained on the guidelines to be followed there. The institution or office may be closed for five days on the advice of the local health authorities only if there are more than five clusters with over 10 infected people, Veena George said. Institutions and offices should be open wherever possible and closure should be considered only a last resort, she added. Stressing the need for no anxiety or fear over the rising cases, she said that only 3% of the total 1,99,041 active cases are using hospital facility now-a-days.
Also read: Schools shut, total lockdown on Sundays, Kerala Govt imposes strict curbs amid Covid surge
Earlier on Thursday, the state government had imposed fresh restrictions as a preventive measure to contain the rising number of COVID-19 cases. A review meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan virtually from the United States, said only essential services should be allowed on the next two Sundays- January 23 and 30. The meeting decided also to allow working women with children below the age of two, cancer patients and seriously ill to work from home. It directed institutions including businesses, malls, beaches, and other tourist places like theme parks to ensure nil crowding and operate by adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
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