Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while conducting an administrative meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna on Monday said that people from other countries are spreading Omicron in this state.
“The number of Omicron affected is gradually increasing in not just India but also in this state. If needed we will have to take strict action to curb the pandemic,” said Mamata.
Notably, amidst the growing rates of Omicron cases in the country, the Central government had sent two letters to all states asking the states to take stringent action in the states.
“Though the active cases in the country were on a decline, the new variant Omicron is three times more transmissible than Delta variant and is posing a new challenge to the containment measures of the COVID,” read the letter sent by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla.
Notably, a couple of days back Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation said that from January 3 children from age 15 to 18 will get the vaccinations and people above 60 years with co-morbidities will get the ‘precautionary’ dose after they produce a doctor’s certificate to boost their immunity.
Currently the official number of Omicron affected in the state is six and in the country 578.
The letter sent by the Union Home Secretary also said that the Prime Minister had reviewed the health system of the entire country and had asked people to stay ‘satark’ (alert) and ‘savdhan’ (safe).
“Reports of rise in Omicron variant are coming from 116 countries especially in the USA, UK, Europe (France, Italy, Spain), Russia, Vietnam, South Africa, and Australia. The state governments should ensure strengthening of the health system to face any challenges posed and should also ensure buffer stock of essential drugs and oxygen supply,” further read the letter.
It is pertinent to mention that a recent study by IIT Kanpur reveals that the third wave is due to enter the country in January and in the first week of February the number of affected patients will increase by leaps and bounds.
Dr. Kajal Krishna Banik claimed that the people of the state are desperate especially those who are doubly vaccinated.
“People think that the pandemic is gone. Some even think that the doctors are purposely trying to cause fear psychosis amongst people. But the truth is due to the negligence of the common people the third wave at least in West Bengal is inevitable,” said Banik.
Incidentally, over lakhs of people were seen merrymaking during Christmas in the Park Street area and other places and most of them were seen without masks.
Dr. Shyamasish Mukhopadhyay however believes that both the Central and the state government should come up and impose certain ‘stringent’ rules to aware people more as according to him the positivity and death rates will soon ‘go up’ if the present situation prevails.
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