Gujarat govt to announce time-bound action plan for possible third wave of Covid19 pandemic: Rupani

Gandhinagar: As part of preparedness for third wave we are doing exercise for last 15-20 days. Meetings with a task force of expert doctors and representatives from all related sectors were held first. Brainstorming is going on regarding third wave preparedness and an action plan for same will be announced soon. It will be a time-bound action plan involving all aspects including children, hospitals, ventilators, pediatrician, staff, their training, oxygen, injections, medicines, beds etc on the basis of our experience during first and second waves, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said today while interacting with media persons here.

Rupani said one can’t exactly predict size and timing of third wave but we are making preparations as if third wave is going to come. Rupani who was on visit to Mahatma Mandir based 900-oxygen beds (including 200 ICU beds) DRDO covid hospital facility said, ‘we are not going to start operations of this hospital for now as the number of covid19 cases are falling. Gandhinagar Civil hospital had once all 500 beds occupied but now only 90 beds are occupied with covid patients. Operations of a new hospital at Mahatma Mandir will be started if required in possible third wave. The hospital is ready and its operation can be started within 24 hours when required.

Rupani said in first wave maximum per day covid19 cases were 1800, and we had a set up for that and we sailed through first wave. Then there was the second wave and on 30th April there were 14,300 cases per day. Now it has reversed. The State government has decided to set up 300 tons oxygen generating plants across Gujarat on permanent basis in order to achieve self sufficiency.

Rupani said the government is very clear that vaccination is the only way out and therefore the State government administers vaccine to 1.25 lakh youths daily, up from 30,000 earlier. Rupani said online slot booking has been made compulsory for vaccination, so that more people don’t gather at vaccination centres and surplus people don’t need to return without jab. Rupani said more than 15 lakh youths have been vaccinated in the State. He said private hospitals namely Apollo, Shalby, KD and Mahavir Hospital are buying vaccines from companied directly for chargeable vaccination. If they have the stock of vaccines and they want to administer vaccines to maximum people, they can’t do inside the hospital, so they are going for drive-through vaccination.

DeshGujarat