Micro-containment zone, extensive testing will combat second wave of COVID: Sonowal

GUWAHATI: To combat the resurgence of COVID 19 pandemic, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasised on creating a micro-containment zone along with extensive testing. Talking to the Deputy Commissioners, Joint Directors of Health and other stakeholders associated with COVID-19 management through a video conference here on Tuesday, Sonowal asked the DCs to focus on creating micro-containment zones coupled with extensive testing to prevent the pandemic snowballs into a major health crisis.

Talking to the DCs, Sonowal said that the second wave of the novel corona virus pandemic though pushed up the daily surge of positive cases in some parts of the country, Assam has not fully witnessed the spike of positive cases till now. He, therefore, asked the DCs to enforce the protective guards to help their respective districts to check the spike in positive cases.

Sonowal also asked the DCs to ramp up testing, adopt test, track and treat protocol. He said that micro containment zone besides helping to contain the local transmission, timely testing would help to manage infection effectively and clinically.

Chief Minister Sonowal also asked the DCs to take all steps to make Prime Minister's call for 'Tika Utsav' a success. He said that inoculation drives in all the districts should be intensified for all the eligible beneficiaries.

At the same time, Sonowal asked the DCs to use their men and machineries to speed up the testing. He said that besides important locations like railway stations, airports, other places of concentration where people generally converge should be identified for the testing facilities.

Sonowal also asked the Joint Directors to go vigorously on contact tracing and try to achieve the target of at least one lakh testing per day across the State.

Sonowal also asked the DCs to strengthen their existing infrastructures like COVID Care Centres, isolation beds, oxygen cylinders to face any exigency. Sonowal also asked the DCs to take the help of the popular personalities in their respective districts to generate awareness among the mass people for taking vaccine and go for testing. He also reiterated on the need of following COVID appropriate behaviour to check the transmission.

Stating that Assam performed exceedingly well in the COVID management during the first wave, Sonowal requested all the frontline workers to render their services this time also to make Assam a model State in COVID-care management.

Extending his Rongali Bihu greetings to the people of Assam, Chief Minister Sonowal appealed to the masses to adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour during the festival. He also wished health and happiness for all.

Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah, Additional Chief Secretary of the Chief Minister Paban Kumar Borthakur, Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Samir Singha, Principal Secretary (Home & Political) Neeraj Verma and other senior officers of the government were present during the meeting, stated a release.

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