Second Covid wave: Govt lays out 5-point strategy for states to check surge

Increased testing and vaccination, effective tracing, and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour pivot of five-fold containment strategy, says government

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level review meeting on Saturday with top officials of 12 states and various municipal commissioners, collectors of 46 districts where there is a rapid surge in coronavirus cases.

During the meeting, stringent action including effective containment and contact tracing for at least 14 successive days in the 46 districts was strongly recommended for breaking the chain of transmission and not frittering away the gains of collaborative efforts of last year.

Officials from the states that participated include Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and some others. Dr V K Paul, Member