Omicron: AP advises people to avoid travel unless essential in festive season
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has advised people to avoid travel during the festive season so as to curb the spread of Omicron, the highly infectious Coronavirus variant.
The advisory was issued in the context of the onset of the Christmas, New Year and Sankranti festivals. A sneeze or a cough from the infected would suffice to spread the virus and the vulnerable groups like those aged above 60, those suffering from multiple health problems and chronic diseases like cancer, pregnant women and others need to be more careful.
Avoid travel by public transport as far as possible, the advisory said. People have been advised to continue with the Covid19 protocols like wearing masks, avoiding mass gatherings etc.
Conduct of RT-PCR test on all international travellers arriving in AP, as also other states, is a must. Officials have been asked to conduct a fever survey and take up Covid19 vaccination to all eligible persons to ensure protection from Omicron.
India has so far reported over 150 Omicron cases, with Telangana registering 20 cases. The state health authorities say that though more cases are being reported in the UK, the US and other countries, the symptoms of Omicron are relatively mild except for the high rate of infection, and the mortality rate is also very low.
State health director Dr G Hymavathi said, “We have advised all the collectors to take up a campaign to ensure Covid jabs to all the targeted populations, follow Covid appropriate behaviour scrupulously and avoid travel as far as possible.”
IMA AP branch president Dr Srinivasa Raju said, “We have sent an advisory to the chief minister’s office, underlining the importance to expedite Covid-19 jabs for all targeted persons and also to conduct RT-PCR tests for all travellers at domestic airports. A massive campaign on ‘SMS’ dealing with sanitation, wearing masks and maintaining social distance is advisable, so that we can curb the spread of Omicron in our state.”
The health authorities are critical about a section of the people failing to wear masks and avoiding Covid jabs while many are also busy organising social gatherings on one pretext or another.
