Next 4 weeks crucial : Dr Srinivasa Rao

Hyderabad: Next four weeks are very crucial but then the situation can be overcome easily if people realise their responsibility and follow health protocols like wearing clean masks in proper way, eat healthy food and indulge in regular exercises and most important is to get vaccinated, feels Director of Public Health Dr Srinivasa Rao. "If this regimen is strictly followed, by the end of July the situation can become near normal," he said.

Dr Rao said that the government on its part would take up the vaccination programme on a large scale from May 1.

But then people too should come forward and make use of the facility since only vaccination can help in curbing the virus.

The government, he said, has decided to provide vaccines free of cost to all in different phases. About 45-lakh people have been vaccinated in the last two months, he said.

Srinivasa Rao said people should understand the seriousness of the situation and come forward to postpone celebrations like marriages and festivals for a couple of months so that the situation can come back to normal by June.

Dr Rao said that the severity of the virus has come down and Covid-19 recovery rate in Telangana was 95 percent. He asked people not to get panicky and rush to hospitals unless they have symptoms like fever, loose motions and vomiting.

About 90 percent of people need not get hospitalised. They can get cured with the home isolation kits provided by the State Government, he added.

The Health department also released a helpline number for grievances, the director said that people who are being harassed by private hospital managements can contact WhatsApp number 9154170960.