Covid-19: Maharashtra launches programme to tackle infection, especially among vulnerable groups

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the state was going through a tough phase due to the pandemic. The danger of the spread of coronavirus has not diminished but has increased, and it is spreading even in the rural areas. He was addressing the people of the state via social media platforms.

Thackeray said the State Government has launched a new programme called My family, My responsibility, under which teams of medical workers would visit every house in the state at least twice in the coming days. Special attention would be given to those in the 50 to 55 age group, he said.

The Chief Minister said the programme would be coordinated by the local MPs, MLAs and authorities. The teams would carry out surveys and reach vulnerable people before the virus catches them. A similar programme to chase the virus has been implemented in Mumbai, he said.

Appealing to the people of the state to be more cautious, he said they should avoid face-to-face conversation when meeting in person. He suggested using online platforms for buying necessary goods, avoiding touching products on display in the supermarket and maintaining silence while using public transport. This is a war and everybody is involved, he said.

Thackeray said when the first clutch of Covid cases were identified in Maharashtra, there were only about 7,500 beds. Today, the number of beds has increased to almost 3.5 lakh new beds, including those with ventilators.

He added that the state was facing a shortage of oxygen but not in terms of actual supply but gas bottles for bottling the gas. Soon that problem would also be solved.