CM directs to enforce Covid safety protocols strictly in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday directed the officials to enforce the Covid safety protocols strictly across Odisha to slow down the spread of the virus.

Reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the state, the Chief Minister directed the DGP to deploy the police personnel in large numbers across the state in a 10-day drive to strictly enforce the Covid safety protocols as notified.

“We will go for strict enforcement of Covid norms at institutional and individual level. I appeal to all the people of Odisha to be alert and follow the norms and please cooperate with the enforcement machinery. There is no place for complacency as valuable lives are at stake,” said the Chief Minister.

Collectors should involve all sections of the society including the PRI members, Mission Shakti groups, etc. and ensure awareness and enforcement, he directed.

“This new wave of Covid virus spread seems to be more infectious and might create a devastating situation, if we do not take it seriously,” said Patnaik.

He further directed that I&PR department should start a new awareness campaign to sensitise the citizens to follow norms of face mask, hand hygiene and social distancing.

“The entire world is encountering resurgence in COVID-19 virus. Many states of our country are also witnessing spikes in proliferation of the disease. We have been observing an increasing trend in the virus spread in recent weeks within Odisha as well,” said the Chief Minister.

Currently, the virus spread seems to be mainly concentrated in the districts adjoining the Chhattisgarh border.

“I would urge the Chief Secretary, ACS Health and Family Welfare and senior officials concerned to visit the Western Odisha districts with high incidence of the Covid positive cases and make an on the ground assessment and take suitable urgent action,” said the Chief Minister.

He directed the Health department to immediately redeploy doctors, paramedics, Lab technicians etc. to Western Odisha districts to strengthen the manpower required to fight the virus.

There should be sufficient Hospital capacity to take care of the increasing cases. Adequate ambulances with oxygen supply to be deployed in the highly affected areas and proper monitoring systems to be put in place to ensure that any emergency call is addressed timely and with a sense of urgency and sensitivity.

There should be no complaints about non-responsiveness of ambulances or lack of beds in the hospitals, he added.