Vigilance stepped up to prevent Omicron variant threat: SP Fakirappa

Anantapur: District Collector Nagalakshmi Selvarajan, SP Fakirappa and DMHO Dr Kameshwar Prasad are stepping up vigilance and making joint initiatives to implement Covid protocol and standard operating procedures to prevent the entry of Omicron, the variant of virus that causes Covid-19 from a variety of avenues.

Scores of foreigners, Non-Resident Indians and local students studying abroad come to the district almost daily. Foreign donors and RDT functionaries from Spain and other European countries visit the district often to oversee projects implementation and interact with beneficiaries. Similarly, foreign devotees of Sathya Sai Baba too visit Prashanthi Nilayam while some who purchased villas in the piligrim town come to stay for a season during November every year to participate in birth anniversary celebrations.

Also, a considerable number of foreign devotees of Kaleshwar Swamy in Penukonda visit his ashram even after his death. SP Fakirappa told The Hans India that the police department will keep a tab on the inflow of foreigners to the district for various purposes. Covid tests are conducted on every foreigner, NRI and Indian students studying abroad.

Even healthy visitors are asked to stay in home quarantine for 14 days as part of implementing SOP. Even security at inter-state border check posts tightened. Even inter-state visitor is checked whether they are vaccinated.

DMHO Dr Kameshwar Prasad has cautioned people against negligence and the minimum protocols of sanitising hands and going out compulsorily with face masks. He said the health and medical administration has appealed to visitors from here to Bengaluru and those visiting the district from Bengaluru to undergo Covid tests and make sure they are Covid-free, in the light of 2 Omicron cases detected in Bengaluru.

Many farmers and FPO functionaries from here go to Bengaluru for marketing horticulture produce. Also, a considerable number of youth working in software companies in Bengaluru return to districts for week-ends, although some companies had asked their employees to work from home. According to the police, about 170 Indians working abroad from here have been registered with the police and they all had been sent for home isolation. Two of them has tested positive and sent for hospital treatment.

People are being asked to complete second dose of vaccination for foolproof prevention of Covid virus and other dangerous viruses.

Already the Central government has directed all those aged above 18 years to be jabbed. About 31 lakh people will fall under this category. Nearly 30 lakh people have taken their first dose while only 64 per cent had taken second dose of vaccination.

Dr Kameshwar Prasad stated that those who have taken two doses of vaccine are relatively free from risk factors even if they are victims of Omicron as it is proved that the two Omicron carriers in Bengaluru are doing well as they both had taken double dose of vaccination.

Meanwhile police are now imposing heavy fines on those found to be on the roads without face mask particularly pillion riders.

District Collector Nagalakshmi Selvarajan is frequently monitoring the situation in the context of Omicron raising its ugly head in several countries including the neighbouring Karnataka state. She asked the medical and health personnel to step up Covid tests and vaccination drive and health machinery in a state of preparedness.