Amid Spike In Covid 19 Cases DHSK asks CMOs For This Immediate Step Check Details Here
SRINAGAR, Apr 3 :As the COVID-19 cases witness an increase across the J&K, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) today directed all the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) across Kashmir to ramp up the COVID-19 testing as well as increase the proportion testing of RT-PCR.
Officials who are in the know-how of the developments in this regard told Excelsior that the districts were earlier as well asked to ramp up the necessary testing, however, no change was witnessed despite the directives issued to them.
“The new letter which has been now sent to the CMOs across Kashmir, notes the earlier correspondence in this regard, however, due to the failure of the district authorities in ramping up the testing, the DHSK has been prompted to seek compliance regarding the ramping up of the COVID-19 again,” officials said.
A fresh letter sent to the CMOs in this regard states that in continuation to the letter no DHSK/IDSP/826-39 dated 29-03-2023 regarding Covidl9 testing, “it has been observed that there is no increase in the Covidl9 testing rate.”
It also stated that there also has not been any increase in the proportion testing of RT-PCR which should be the benchmark of a minimum of 80% of total Covidl9 testing.
“You are directed to increase the rate of Covid-19 testing, and the proportion of RT-PCR testing and ensure the establishment of Flu Clinics at all Health Institutions as per the guidelines issued by MoHFW.
Notably, on Sunday, J&K reported 19 fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the number of active cases to 148 while no death was reported in the last 24 hours.
Concerning the COVID-19 vaccination, with a focus on the precautionary dose, the officials told Excelsior that nothing substantial has been planned in this connection so far, while they noted that only some of the doses have been sought on the directions of the ministry. “The vaccine has the expiry of May this year; maybe after a passage of a few months, we would get the necessary stock of vaccine doses, but not as of now,” the officials said.
The same indicates that in days to come, even if the cases increase, across J&K, the people will not see the ramped-up vaccination process aimed at providing the necessary protection to the people especially those who fall in the vulnerable category and are living with underlying medical conditions.
It is to be noted here that most of the population across J&K has been covered under the COVID-19 vaccination including the vulnerable lot which has elderly and people with comorbidities; however, there is still a good number of people who have not been covered by the third precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
