Odisha CM directs officials to be vigilant amid Omicron’s apprehensions

Presiding over a COVID-19 review meeting yesterday, the Chief Minister said, “We have to strictly implement the COVID safety protocols.”

He said that the Information and Public Relations Department should start an awareness campaign to make the citizens aware of following the rules of face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing.

He said that the District Collectors should involve all sections of the society to ensure awareness and enforcement.

The Chief Minister further directed the officials to ensure that everyone takes it seriously as the new version appears to be more contagious. “Odisha has taken a cautious approach towards the pandemic from the very beginning. We have been able to successfully control the first and second wave of COVID despite the challenging circumstances.”

“We are now in a tough battle for war and I am sure that we will be able to deal with this resurgence successfully as well,” the chief minister said.

“I appeal to the people of Odisha to be vigilant and follow the safety norms and cooperate with the enforcement machinery,” he said.

The Omicron variant, which was first identified in South Africa, has been classified as a variant of concern by World Health last week.

On Wednesday, Odisha recorded 237 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths. The test positivity rate is 0.38 percent. State Additional Chief Health Secretary RK Sharma said most of the cases have been reported in Khurda, Cuttack, Sundergarh and Sambalpur districts, while the situation is under control in other areas.

He claimed that 85.65 per cent of the people in the state have already received the first dose of the vaccine and the second dose vaccination rate is 48.4 per cent, which is higher than the national average. The state government has now launched a door-to-door campaign for vaccination.

(with inputs from agencies)