Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Sunday, said that the fight against COVID-19 is now at a turning point. “Masks will be the best vaccine until you receive the vaccine. Let's all work for a safe and healthy Maharashtra,” he said, speaking at the virtual inauguration of the plasma therapy unit at Ratnagiri district hospital.
Thackeray’s call to the people of Maharashtra comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the distribution of the vaccine should involve state and union territory governments as well as civil society organisations, and have a strong IT backbone that will boost India's healthcare system. The PM also called for ‘speedy access’ to the vaccine for all members of the population and directed officials to keep in mind the ‘geographical span and diversity of the country’ while planning the logistics.
Thackeray called upon the people of the state to strictly follow COVID-19 protocols, including the use of face masks, maintaining social distance and frequently washing hands to avoid another wave of the pandemic. “The government’s priority now is to prevent another wave of the coronavirus pandemic. A person who is free of the virus can save four lives by donating plasma twice a month. Therefore, the death rate will also come down in the coming days,” he noted.
The CM reviewed the present status of the My Family, My Responsibility campaign conducted in the state and the response it received from the people. He also urged the people to come forward and cooperate with the government.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Health Rajesh Tope said that the recently introduced online medical diagnosis portal E-Sanjeevani has ramped up its reach to over 6,000 patients in the state who have already benefited from the instantly available online medical check-up and advice. The state government has now added a fresh slot of this online outpatient department treatment service and made the medical service available twice a day.
Citizens can avail of online medical checkup, advice and treatment services between 3 pm and 5 pm in addition to the timeslot of 9.30 am to 1.30 pm. The mobile application was pressed into service four months ago and has been providing medical help to those who have a smartphone.
