WITH THE country continuing to report a decline in Covid-19 cases, the Health Ministry on Wednesday directed the states for constant review of emerging data of new cases based on sustained testing at the district level. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told chief secretaries of the states that restrictions and relaxations should be taken after proper analysis of the local situation, including emergence of new clusters, case positivity, the geographical spread of cases, and hospital infrastructure preparedness. Bhushan specifically reiterated to the states that they need to watch the trajectory of cases in areas reporting positivity rate above 10% and bed occupancy more than 40% on either oxygen support or ICU beds – and implement containment and restriction measures in these areas. “Taking into account the sustained and steep decline in Covid-19 cases across the country, the states have been undertaking various measures to reopen social and economic activities. There is a need to follow a risk assessment based approach on the opening of economic and social activities without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic,” Bhushan wrote. Bhushan reiterated the continued focus on the five-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination and adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour. With a continuous decline in cases, Bhushan asked the states to resume social gatherings and congregations and offline classes in academic classes.
