Now Reading
Health Ministry Says People Should Start Wearing Masks Inside Homes Too

Health Ministry Says People Should Start Wearing Masks Inside Homes Too

A person with a breathing problem receives oxygen support inside her car at a Gurudwara in Ghaziabad, April 24, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

New Delhi: As India grapples with a raging second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the government on Monday warned that it is time for people to start wearing masks inside their homes as well. It also stressed upon the need for vaccination and observing appropriate COVID-19 behaviour.

Addressing a joint press conference with other senior functionaries, joint secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Lav Agarwal said people should be admitted to hospital only on the advice of doctors.

As several states report a shortage of medical oxygen, the Central government claimed that there is enough medical oxygen available, but that the challenge is in transporting it to hospitals. The Centre said it is taking various measures to ensure adequate supply of oxygen to hospitals.

The government asked hospitals for “judicious use” of oxygen and to plug any leakages.

It also said that rational use of medical oxygen and appropriate prescription of drugs such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab are critical in the fight against the pandemic.

The government said the effectiveness of Remdesivir on critical patients is “not well-established” yet, suggested the use of other prescribed drugs.

The government highlighted the importance of continuing vaccination of people at a faster pace, and following appropriate COVID-19 behaviour.

While the Centre has liberalised the vaccine strategy, allowing state governments and hospitals to procure doses directly from the manufacturers, it remains to be seen how many doses are available. Several reports have suggested that there is a shortage of vaccines in India, which has meant that the average vaccine doses administered daily has plateaued recently.

Research has shown that if no physical distancing measures are followed, one person can infect 406 people in 30 days, the Centre said, adding that if physical exposure is reduced by 50%, then one person can infect around 15 people during the period. And, if physical exposure is reduced by 75%, then one person can infect around 2.5 people in 30 days.

It’s time people start wearing masks inside their homes as well, the government said.

On the vaccination drive, Agarwal said of the 14.19 crore vaccine doses administered in India so far, 9.79 crore people aged 45 and above have got the first dose and 1.03 crore in the age bracket have received the second dose.

India’s daily COVID-19 infection tally and death toll have touched new peaks in the past few days.

The country recorded 3,52,991 cases, the highest so far, taking the tally of cases to 1,73,13,163 while active cases have crossed the 28-lakh mark, according to data provided by the Union health ministry on Monday.

The death toll increased to 1,95,123 with a record 2,812 new fatalities.

‘Trying to resolve problem of oxygen transportation’

Speaking at the same press conference, the additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Piyush Goyal said that the government is trying to resolve the issue of transporting oxygen from the producing states to high-demand areas.

He said the turnaround time of oxygen-carrying tankers was reduced to 1-2 hours from 4-5 days by taking the help of the Indian Air Force’s transport aircraft, which have been ferrying empty tankers.

Several states have been facing a critical shortage of oxygen supplied to hospitals, with reports from across the country indicating that COVID-19 patients are dying because of lack of supply. In Delhi, several hospitals were forced to move the high court to seek oxygen supplies.

Goyal said the Central government is monitoring the movement of oxygen-carrying tankers on a real-time basis through GPS and making them available to hospitals at the shortest possible time.

Since Friday, the home ministry has been coordinating efforts to deploy empty oxygen tankers and containers in various filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of the much-needed medical oxygen in treating COVID-19 patients.

The Centre is also trying to source oxygen from different parts of the country and making it available in states that are in need of it by running special trains.

(With PTI inputs)

Scroll To Top