CM seeks public support to bring down COVID mortality rate

Team Herald 

MARGAO:  Seeking public support to bring down the COVID mortality rate, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Sunday said the government has set in place all necessary infrastructure to deal with the new wave of COVID but what is required is a little responsibility and seriousness by the people who should visit a doctor as soon as they show symptoms instead of waiting for it to worsen. 

Speaking to media persons, he said the testing facilities have been increased and added that even up to 3,200 persons are tested daily. He said this will be increased shortly to enable the testing of 5,000 people.

Stating that beds in hospitals have been increased, he said 150 additional beds have been added to the South Goa District Hospital and Goa Medical College has added 60 beds. 

“We have again classified the ESI Hospital as a COVID hospital and started COVID Care Centres at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium and the stadium in Margao,” he said. Dr Pramod said the vaccination drive has also started in the right earnest and added that around two lakh people have been vaccinated and another 1.5 lakh vaccines have arrived at the airport for the State.

“There was a slight problem with oxygen but we have taken care of it and have asked companies to produce more oxygen cylinders for clinical use and reduce oxygen for industrial use,” he said.

Dr Pramod stressed the need for people to check themselves as soon as they show symptoms instead of waiting for it to worsen. 

“People have to self-isolate themselves after undergoing the test till the time the result is known,” he said adding that ‘they end up infecting others when they move around while waiting for their test result.’

He said responsibility and seriousness from the public in dealing with the virus will help bring down the mortality rate and advised people to go to the hospital the moment they show symptoms and not wait till it worsens.

“We are doing the testing and tracing but people have to adhere to the COVID protocol and learn to isolate themselves to stop the infection from spreading,” he said.