MAPUSA: Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte on Friday recommended Chief Minister Parmod Sawant to go in for a complete lockdown for 15 days over the rising COVID cases in the State.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, the Porvorim MLA suggested that instead of having stagnated lockdowns, the government should go in for a complete lockdown for 15 days and thereafter review the situation.
He recommended immediate sealing of borders which is the need of the hour since neighbouring States such as Karnataka and Maharashtra have sealed their borders and similarly Goa should also follow the trend to protect its people along with immediate and strict Standard Operating Procedures. Negative certificate should be made compulsory at the borders. In addition, transportation of essential commodities should be allowed only with passes which will avoid the quarantine tourism trend to repeat itself unlike the first COVID phase.
Further, Khaunte stated that the patients need to be able to have a touch point assistance person like a PRO Office which can be headed by an IAS Officer, who can provide immediate information on the availability of beds, oxygen and ventilators in the State.
He stated that the State needs to improve the turnaround time on test results and start treatment on symptomatic patients on priority basis as unnecessary delay would make it more difficult to treat a particularly symptomatic patient.
“Ambulances from the private hospitals and other private sources should be utilised to cover the shortage of ambulance. Also since the primary health centres in certain areas are short staffed, the State should explore the possibility of using nurses from private hospitals to assist in the vaccination drive. This will ensure increase in vaccination and simultaneous decrease in the number of COVID cases. Need for issuing proper SOPs on the fines charged and protocol to be maintained for face masking in the State. Also persons waiting for their test reports should be moved to a separate isolation unit where they can be quarantined under the government vigil.”
Khaunte recommended the government to tie up with call centres which would be monitored by the government through its PRO Office. This will reduce the panic within the people and promptly provide the status on availability of beds, oxygen and ventilators which can be swiftly conveyed to the patient.
