Centre's Latest Covid Letter To States Recommends Hospital "Dry Runs": 10 Points

The letter mentions that India has an average of 153 cases over the past several days — this is among the lowest numbers since the pandemic began two years ago — but the ministry underlines that the festive season around New Year calls for "arrangements to minimize risk of increase".

Focus needs to be on "Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination" and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour, which the ministry describes as "use of mask, hand and respiratory hygiene, and adherence to physical distancing".

States also need to monitor and report to the Centre the district-wise Influenza-like illness (ILI) & Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases at all health centres. This is to detect any rise in cases at an early stage. These cases may also be tested for Covid.

Testing needs to be upped; the letter tells states to "ensure adequate testing in all the districts... maintaining the recommended share of RT-PCR and Antigen tests". It reiterates the advice to send positive samples for genome sequencing, which can identify new variants, if any. India has had four cases of the BF.7 sub-variant of the Omicron variant in the last six months.

It further tells states to "take stock of existing hospital capacities in terms of bed availability, logistic requirements as well as need for re-orientation of healthcare workers in clinical management of COVID-19 to remain prepared for any surge in cases". The capacities may be tested by conducting "dry runs" in hospitals, it adds.

On vaccination, it calls for "creating community awareness" with special focus on the booster or precaution dose, uptake for which has been only around 20 per cent in most states.

China, meanwhile, is witnessing the world's worst Covid outbreak with cases estimated at 37 million (3.7 crore) a day. So far 24.8 crore people, nearly one-fifth of China's population, has likely contracted the virus in the first 20 days of December. 

States have been taking precautionary measures, though not any binding norms yet, in view of a recent Covid surge in China. PM Narendra Modi also held a review meeting and reiterated the advice.

Face masks are "strongly advised" in Karnataka and Delhi, among other states. In UP, Taj Mahal in Agra is on alert in particular as visitors they will have to undergo a Covid test before they can enter, sources said. The state has otherwise followed the Centre in issuing an advisory to districts.

On the Centre's directions, incoming international travellers are being scanned — 2 per cent random sampling. Direct flights to and from China are already banned since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago.