Omicron: Looks like India is soon expecting Covid-19 variant virus Omicron to strike at it at any moment! Already number of cases across the world is growing and the USA has become the 20th country to get the infection. Though India is prepared, there is an underline threat that it might hit us. Meanwhile Telangana government seems to have got its act together and are imposing rules to save its people from the deadly virus.
Omicron
Today, Dr K Srinivasa Rao, director of public health has announced a rule that people found without masks will be fined Rs 1,000. This apart, the state government was looking at setting Omicron detection centre and officials are instructed to complete the Covid-19 vaccine second dose by this month end. Looking at all these developments, looks like the new variant might have its outing even in Telangana very soon!
The state health department has requested the enforcement authorities including the police to strictly implement the practice of wearing masks among the general public. To ensure people wear masks, the health department has also requested the police authorities to start re-imposing the fine of Rs 1,000, which already existed.
“Vaccines and masks are the only two preventive measures that one can take against this or any other variant. We urge people to wear masks and take their due vaccines to ensure no severe infection or death occurs in our State,” added Dr Rao.
Currently, nearly 25 lakh people are yet to take the vaccine’s second dose, he added, despite being due for the same. “We have set up both mobile camps and door-to-door vaccination drives to reach a large population. The Cabinet sub-committee on Health, MAUD, Panchayati Raj and Education Department is closely monitoring and coordinating for the same,” he added.
Taking a step ahead, the state government said it intends to establish and advanced S-Gene Target Failure (SGTF) facility in Hyderabad to detect the Omicron variant among other types of Covid-19 mutations. The facility will have very advanced mechanism and will be exclusively available in India.