‘Actively’ Follow Up: Health Secy Writes to States as 30 Nations, Including India, Confirm Omicron Variant
Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan reiterates measures that Indian states should follow in the light of Omicron detection in the country. In a letter addressed to Chief Secretary, and sent to ACS/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries (Health) of all the States/UTs, Bhushan writes that current evidence, which is still evolving, suggests increased transmissibility of this VOC (Variant of Concern) and there is a need to actively follow-up. “We must, therefore, be extra vigilant in enforcing public health measures to contain its spread,” writes Bhushan.
The steps that Bhushan lists are as follows:
* Screening International Passengers: International passengers are arriving from both “At-Risk” and other countries to different States and Union Territories. All State Surveillance Officers (SSOs) have been provided an access to “Air Suvidha” portal of Ministry of Civil Aviation. “The portal must be accessed every day to know in advance the details of passengers coming to your State/UT from different international airports. This can be ascertained very easily through the destination address fed on the Air Suvidha portal in the self-declaration form of passengers. You can know who is coming to your State/UT by a simple search feature on the portal. An email explaining the action points, details and with IDs and passwords has been sent from this Ministry to States/UTs yesterday,” adds Bhushan.
The passengers coming into your State/UT must be followed up through the surveillance mechanism and tested as per the existing guidelines of international travel. States have been asked to review the same at their levels regularly.