THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health minister Veena George has said there was no need for people who come into contact with Covid patients to undergo quarantine. Only caregivers of positive patients will have to go into quarantine, she said.
The minister said the people in the state have been vaccinated, and the severity of the disease in the Omicron variant is very low. Hence there is no need for all people coming into contact to go into quarantine.
For each wave of the pandemic, different strategies and precautions are being implemented depending upon the severity. The present phase of Omicron spread is less severe even though it spreads fast.
“When compared to that of the previous weeks, the Omicron spread has started to come down. In the first week of January, the state witnessed a 45% increase in new cases. In the second week, it was 148%. When it came to the third week, it had increased to 215%. However, in the last week, it had come to 71%,” the minister said.
However, she said that even though it is a relief, the next three weeks will be crucial. There are chances to peak in the coming weeks.
The minister has sought voluntary service of retired doctors and other medical professionals to help the healthcare system of the state. Doctors who are willing to provide voluntary service should have a registered license from the medical council. Those who have temporary registration can also apply for this service.
Their service will be required for two months, and the government will be giving a certificate for their voluntary service during the pandemic period. It has been decided to create a pool of such doctors willing to provide voluntary service, she added.
All field staff working with the healthcare centres should be in constant touch with the Covid positive people. Details of these patients should be updated on a daily basis to the district control room, she said.
