With restrictions returning to many parts of the country to check the spread of coronavirus as cases continue to soar, the government today told the states to make sure that vaccination efforts are not hampered.
While tough restrictions were announced in Maharashtra earlier this week for 15 days as the state government stopped short of announcing a lockdown, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and other states have also announced fresh curbs to break the chain of transmission.
However, cases are still on a rise. This morning, India recorded the biggest-ever daily spike as 2.61 lakh cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours, taking the caseload to 1.47 crore infections.
Even as many states have flagged vaccine shortage, the Health Ministry today asserted that over 12 crore doses have been administered in three months after India began "the world's largest COVID-19 drive"
"In view of rising COVID-19 cases across many states and union territories, various measures are being undertaken to control the spread of COVID-19 which also include COVID-19 curfews and partial or complete lockdown in some states or districts for variable periods. Similarly, for management of COVID-19 cases, certain hospitals are being earmarked as dedicated COVID-19 hospitals for management of only COVID-19 cases," a government statement read today.
"In this regard, it is advised that COVID-19 vaccination services should not be affected by COVID-19 curfews or lockdowns and the movement of beneficiaries to and from COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) should not be restricted during such interventions," the statement further read.
Vaccination services "should be provided in a separate building or block in these hospitals that is distinctly separated from the building or block where management of COVID-19 patients is being done," it further said. "This will ensure that beneficiaries of vaccination are not inadvertently exposed to COVID-19 at these hospital," the centre has suggested.
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