NEW DELHI: The second ICMR sero-survey shows that the Indian population is still far from achieving herd immunity against coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday, while underscoring the need to continue appropriate Covid behavior.
He also emphasized that masks should be worn even in places of worship.
During an interaction with his followers on social media, the minister said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is actively investigating reports of Covid-19 reinfection and, although the number of such cases is negligible at the moment , the government is fully aware of the importance of the matter, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
He cautioned that the sero-survey report should not create a sense of complacency among people.
The first sero-survey in May 2020 revealed that the national prevalence of the new coronavirus infection was only 0.73%.
“Even the indications from the second sero-survey to be released soon are that we are far from having achieved some kind of herd immunity that requires all of us to follow appropriate Covid behavior,” Vardhan said in response to queries raised by his followers the media on the ‘Sunday Samvad’ platform.
The health minister also allayed fears regarding the gradual opening of schools and recommended the proper protocol to follow when visiting salons and spas, the ministry said.
He called on everyone to always raise awareness about appropriate Covid behavior, which he does himself by stopping his car and asking non-compliant people to wear his masks, according to the statement.
He reiterated the need to wear masks even in places of worship.
“The pandemic can only be fought when the government and society work together,” he was quoted in the statement.
On the wide use of investigational therapies such as plasma therapy and the drug Remdesivir to combat COVID-19, Vardhan said the government has issued regular warnings about their rational use and that private hospitals have also been warned against routine use. of these therapies.
Physicians in the states and UT are becoming aware of this through webinars and teleconsultation sessions from AIIMS, New Delhi, according to the statement.
On the emerging evidence that Covid-19 infection affects not only our lungs, but also other organ systems, especially cardiovascular and kidney functions, the minister said that the Ministry of Health has already established expert committees to investigate these facets. of the illness.
“The ICMR is also actively investigating reports of reinfection and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this time, the government is fully aware of the importance of the matter,” he said.
Vardhan stated that states / UTs have also been recommended to lower prices for Covid-19 tests. In the early days of the pandemic, as kits were imported, the price tended to be high. But now, the supply of test kits has stabilized and domestic production of these kits has started, according to the statement.
He said his ministry has written to the states and territories of the Union to contract private laboratories at lower mutually acceptable rates. He said he has personally spoken with several state health ministers about lowering test prices in their respective states.
In a question related to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojana’, the minister spoke of India’s twofold strategy of incentivizing production and creating a common infrastructure for high-quality drugs and medical devices to make the country self-sufficient. He said the government is ensuring that there is import substitution in this sector.
Vardhan said that in recent months since the outbreak of the pandemic, India has made rapid progress in “manufacturing ventilators, personal protective equipment, test kits and many medical devices.”
On the disparity in the installation of AIIMS in different regions and only one for the entire Northeast, he spoke about the Central Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana Scheme (PMSSY) aimed at correcting regional imbalances in healthcare.
In addition to the creation of new AIIMS, the plan also aims to upgrade the existing medical infrastructure throughout the country gradually.
In different phases of the plan, the central government will establish new medical colleges attached to existing district and referral hospitals in Dhubri, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Diphu and Kokrajhar districts in Assam, Churachandrapur in Manipur West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya , Falkawan district in Mizoram and Kohima and Mon in Nagaland.
Vardhan also stated that the Center has added 29,185 MBBS seats in the last five years.
Responding to questions about strengthening the public health system, he spoke about the Union government’s commitment to “increase public spending on health as a percentage of GDP from 1.15% today to 2.5% by 2025”, which “It will mean a real 345 percent increase over the current share in this short period of time.”
He also emphasized that masks should be worn even in places of worship.
During an interaction with his followers on social media, the minister said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is actively investigating reports of Covid-19 reinfection and, although the number of such cases is negligible at the moment , the government is fully aware of the importance of the matter, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
He cautioned that the sero-survey report should not create a sense of complacency among people.
The first sero-survey in May 2020 revealed that the national prevalence of the new coronavirus infection was only 0.73%.
“Even the indications from the second sero-survey to be released soon are that we are far from having achieved some kind of herd immunity that requires all of us to follow appropriate Covid behavior,” Vardhan said in response to queries raised by his followers the media on the ‘Sunday Samvad’ platform.
The health minister also allayed fears regarding the gradual opening of schools and recommended the proper protocol to follow when visiting salons and spas, the ministry said.
He called on everyone to always raise awareness about appropriate Covid behavior, which he does himself by stopping his car and asking non-compliant people to wear his masks, according to the statement.
He reiterated the need to wear masks even in places of worship.
“The pandemic can only be fought when the government and society work together,” he was quoted in the statement.
On the wide use of investigational therapies such as plasma therapy and the drug Remdesivir to combat COVID-19, Vardhan said the government has issued regular warnings about their rational use and that private hospitals have also been warned against routine use. of these therapies.
Physicians in the states and UT are becoming aware of this through webinars and teleconsultation sessions from AIIMS, New Delhi, according to the statement.
On the emerging evidence that Covid-19 infection affects not only our lungs, but also other organ systems, especially cardiovascular and kidney functions, the minister said that the Ministry of Health has already established expert committees to investigate these facets. of the illness.
“The ICMR is also actively investigating reports of reinfection and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this time, the government is fully aware of the importance of the matter,” he said.
Vardhan stated that states / UTs have also been recommended to lower prices for Covid-19 tests. In the early days of the pandemic, as kits were imported, the price tended to be high. But now, the supply of test kits has stabilized and domestic production of these kits has started, according to the statement.
He said his ministry has written to the states and territories of the Union to contract private laboratories at lower mutually acceptable rates. He said he has personally spoken with several state health ministers about lowering test prices in their respective states.
In a question related to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojana’, the minister spoke of India’s twofold strategy of incentivizing production and creating a common infrastructure for high-quality drugs and medical devices to make the country self-sufficient. He said the government is ensuring that there is import substitution in this sector.
Vardhan said that in recent months since the outbreak of the pandemic, India has made rapid progress in “manufacturing ventilators, personal protective equipment, test kits and many medical devices.”
On the disparity in the installation of AIIMS in different regions and only one for the entire Northeast, he spoke about the Central Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana Scheme (PMSSY) aimed at correcting regional imbalances in healthcare.
In addition to the creation of new AIIMS, the plan also aims to upgrade the existing medical infrastructure throughout the country gradually.
In different phases of the plan, the central government will establish new medical colleges attached to existing district and referral hospitals in Dhubri, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Diphu and Kokrajhar districts in Assam, Churachandrapur in Manipur West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya , Falkawan district in Mizoram and Kohima and Mon in Nagaland.
Vardhan also stated that the Center has added 29,185 MBBS seats in the last five years.
Responding to questions about strengthening the public health system, he spoke about the Union government’s commitment to “increase public spending on health as a percentage of GDP from 1.15% today to 2.5% by 2025”, which “It will mean a real 345 percent increase over the current share in this short period of time.”
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