Amid the second wave of the pandemic sweeping across the country, the Centre on Monday urged people not to panic and stressed on the need for everyone to follow social distancing norms and Covid-appropriate behaviour.
The Centre also urged all adults to get vaccinated from May 1 when the third phase of the Covid-19 inoculation drive launches in the country.
India on Monday recorded 3,52,991 new Covid-19 cases and 2,812 deaths. The country’s Covid-19 tally climbed to 1,73,13,163 while active cases crossed the 28-lakh mark during the last 24 hours.
Amid these developments, the Central government urged everyone to stay at home and asked people to start wearing masks inside their houses to contain the spread of the virus.
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It also pitched for expediting the pace of the vaccination drive and asserted that women can take Covid-19 vaccine during menstruation as well.
Addressing a joint press conference with other senior functionaries, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Lav Agarwal said many people have been found to be occupying hospital beds out of panic.
Hospital admission should only be on the advice of doctors, he stressed.
Amid a shortage of medical oxygen, the government said India has enough medical oxygen available, but the challenge is to transport it to hospitals.
The government 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 leakage, if any.
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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 effectiveness of Remdesivir on critical patients is "not well-established" yet as it suggested use of other prescribed drugs.
Agarwal said that however much infrastructure is created, it will come under stress looking at the population of the country and added that it is important to curb the infection.
The government stressed on continuing vaccination of people, even at a faster pace, and maintaining Covid-19 appropriate behaviours.
Research has shown that if no physical distancing measures are followed, one person can infect 406 people in 30 days, it said, adding that if physical exposure is reduced by 50 per cent then one person can infect around 15 people during the period. And, if physical exposure is reduced by 75 per cent, 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.
(With PTI inputs)
