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In view of a massive rise in Covid infections across Maharashtra, the Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, on Sunday ordered the State administration to plan for a lockdown as the social distancing restrictions are not being followed.
Thackeray gave the orders at an emergency meeting of the state task force for the pandemic. The meeting was also attended by State Health Minister Rajesh Tope, Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and Health Secretary Pradeep Vyas.
Until Saturday evening, 35,726 new cases in the state were detected taking the total number of active Covid cases to 3.03 lakh.
The Chief Minister's office statement said that Thackeray has also ordered to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for applying lockdown for limited days. The SOP should be prepared by the Principal Secretary for Relief and Rehabilitation. The SOP will help in implementing the lockdown in a planned manner.
The Chief Minister also asked the State Administration to lay emphasis on institutional quarantine rather than home quarantine of patients. Since oxygen plays an important role, it should be available in sufficient quantity.E-ICUs, ventilators should be also made available in sufficient numbers due to the rising mortality rate. Private doctors should be hired to get trained medical manpower, the statement said.
Vyas pointed out that due to the rapidly increasing infections in the state, all important health facilities, especially beds, ventilators and oxygen, would soon be much required by the people. He informed that out of 3.57 lakh isolation beds, 1.07 lakh beds have been filled and the remaining beds are being filled up fast.
The elderly and co-morbid patients, in particular, should be given priority treatment and employees should be allowed to work-from-home. It has also been decided to that visitors would not be allowed to enter government offices.
The task force's doctors also pointed out that the increase in infection could lead to an increase in deaths, especially without timely testing and non-compliance with rules while in home isolation.
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