Tirupati: Padmavathi Nilayam to be Covid care centre again

Tirupati: The Covid situation in Chittoor district gradually reaching back to square one. With more than 200 daily cases and even crossing 300 mark frequently, the situation warns of even higher surge in the coming days forcing the officials to look at the containment measures seriously.

Denizens have been expressing fears over a steep upward increase in daily cases in the next few days with the attitude of various political leaders. The ongoing hectic political activity where masks and physical distancing could not be seen coupled with outbreak of cases in educational institutions and rush at pilgrim centres have been sending warning signals of possible extreme surge in the number of cases soon.

With the fall in Covid cases since November, the government has decided to close down the Covid care centres one after another. The present situation is not leaving any other option before officials except to provide more hospital beds for patients and opening Covid care centres once again to isolate those having mild symptoms.

District Collector M Harinarayanan reviewed the situation at Sri Padmavathi Nilayam along with DM&HO Dr M Penchalaiah, DCHS Dr P Saralamma and TUDA Secretary S Lakshmi on Monday. It was decided to take over Padmavathi Nilayam from APTDC which has taken it on lease from TTD. The officials are now completing the formalities to formally handover the facility to the district administration and open the Covid care centre there in about a week's time.

On Tuesday, TUDA secretary Lakshmi visited the facility once again to decide the course of action. It may be recalled that she worked as Special Officer for the centre last year when it was Covid care centre and extended good services and received wide applause.

DM&HO Dr Penchalaiah told The Hans India that the cases have been increasing speedily. To meet the exigencies they have decided to make available more beds. Though August 2020 has recorded more number of 27,994 cases followed by 25,391 in September, it is difficult to project the exact range of surge this time and they have been reviving all the services provided last year.

He said that 800-1000 beds will be made available at Padmavati Nilayam and opines that it would be sufficient for now. In addition about 1,000 beds will be provided at SVIMS and Ruia Hospitals. Chittoor will have 400 beds and the admission of Covid patients has begun in Madanapalle, Kuppam and other places.

The DM&HO further added that private hospitals were asked to provide Covid services once again. They can provide about 2,000 beds. All old teams are being asked to resume their services once again. As Tirupati has been contributing more than 50 per cent of daily cases, they have been focussing more containment steps in the city. He however expressed hope that the vaccination process may become helpful in containing the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the shortage in the supply of Covid vaccine has been causing embarrassment to the officials. The district could not get the supplies as per the requirement and facing difficulties in adjusting the available doses in various constituencies.

The government machinery has geared up well to increase the pace of vaccination but their hands were tied up with lack of proper supply of doses.