A member of the public receives a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at a health center in Amrawati, Maharashtra, India. (Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg)
4 years ago
Dec 31, 2021
Follow the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination numbers in India here.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and ICMR DG Dr. Balram Bhargava have written to chief secretaries of all states and union territories with guidelines to further combat the spread of the coronavirus and its variants.
The details of the measures:
Set up 24x7 Rapid Antigen Testing booths to expedite and increase Covid-19 testing.
States are urged to engage medical and paramedical staff at the RAT booths and encourage the use of home test kits for citizens.
The RAT tests' algorithm must be defined by ICMR, Covid-19 protocols must be followed at testing centres to eliminate transmission.
Testing-kits and products can be easily procured at Government-e-marketplace portal.
States must institute emergency procurement procedures to facilitate supply of diagnostic commodities for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Any individual presenting with fever with or without cough, headache, sore throat, breathlessness, body ache, the recent loss of taste or smell, fatigue, and diarrhea should be considered as a suspect case of Covid-19 unless proven otherwise.
Sikkim has introduced restrictions in the state to combat the spread of the Omicron variant in the region.
Pubs, discos, cinema halls, restaurants, fast food centres, bakeries, gymnasiums, barber-shops, spas and salons are permitted to operate at 50% capacity.
Hotels, homestays and guest houses are required to operate at 50% capacity too.
While social and political gatherings can be organised with prior permission from the deputy commissioner, people attending must occupy no more than 50% of the space.
44 new Omicron cases were reported in Kerala today, taking the tally of the new variant to 107 in the state, Kerala Health Minister Veena George told ANI.
98% eligible population has been inoculated with 1st dose, 79% with the 2nd dose, she also said.
Maharashtra | Restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC extended in Mumbai till Jan 15. Mumbai Police prohibits citizens from visiting beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, gardens, parks, or similar public places, from 5 pm to 5 am. #Omicronpic.twitter.com/AbHYEJiFKr
