Lucknow: After writing a success story during Covid-19 pandemic last year, Uttar Pradesh is back to fight against the second surge of coronavirus a year after, mainly due to the laxity on part of the people and complacency developed after the arrival of indigenous vaccines.
Uttar Pradesh was the only state which successfully fought the Covid-19 pandemic with a recovery rate of 98.2 percent and less than 1.4 percent death toll, the lowest in the country. It was mainly due to the Covid management by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Team-11.
The state government had adopted a two-pronged strategy to check the spread of deadly viral disease in epidemic form. It engaged over one lakh health workers and volunteers to keep surveillance on suspected infected cases and ensured to conduct 1.25 tests on a daily basis.
Over 150 Level 1, 2 and 3 Covid management hospitals, including private, were set up to ensure optimum recovery rate. Uttar Pradesh was among few states which implemented Centre’s lockdown a few days late. “It was done to make preparations for the lockdown so that people of the state face minimum hardship,” said a minister.
But after successful management of the pandemic and lockdown, the Yogi Adityanath government is facing a new challenge to keep the second wave of coronavirus at bay after a sudden surge in cases since March 1.
In the past one week, there was a six-fold spike in cases and the numbers are rising every day. There are 2774 active cases till date with 542 new cases reported on March 22.
To deal with the alarming situation, the Chief Minister held an emergency meeting of Team-11 on Monday and directed officials to launch war footing arrangements to deal with any emergency situation.
At least 68 Level 2 and 3 Covid management hospitals have been set up after activating Integrated Command Centre. All CMOs and DMs have been directed to enforce Covid-19 guidelines of wearing masks and maintaining social distance at public places. The Lucknow administration on Monday penalized 542 people for not wearing masks at public places.
In fact, Yogi Adityanath has put the administration on its toes again like March last year. He has directed 1.25 tests on a daily basis and contact tracing by keeping surveillance, particularly on air and rail/ bus travellers coming from affected states, particularly Maharashtra and Kerala
On the other hand, he has set a target of 10 million vaccinations by March-end to immunize a maximum number of people of the state to achieve ‘Herd Immunity’.
But all his efforts may go to waste if people of the state do not take the second surge seriously. People of the state have developed complacency after the arrival of the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine. The majority population roams around in public without masks and maintaining mandatory social distancing.
With Holi festival round the corner, the state government may take some tough measures to contain coronavirus before it spreads further across the state.