Delhi govt revokes order to deploy school teachers on Covid duty at airport, says THIS

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday revoked its order of deploying school teachers on Covid duty at the airport. An order passed by the District Disaster Management Authority said the Delhi government has withdrawn its order of deploying school teachers on Covid duty at Delhi airport from December 31 to January 15. The authority said that civil defence staff will be deployed at the airport if needed. “Teachers and other teaching staff are exempted from Airport duty for the period of December 31 to January 15, 2023. Further, civil defence volunteers may be deputed on duty,” District Magistrate, West said.

#UPDATE | District Disaster Management Authority withdraws its order of deploying school teachers on Covid duty at Delhi airport from December 31 to January 15. The authority says if needed, civil defence staff will be deployed at the airport. — ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2022

Earlier, it was announced that Delhi government school teachers would be deployed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to ensure people there follow Covid-appropriate protocols. The order was issued by the District Magistrate (West) on behalf of the District Disaster Management Authority.

All the Delhi Schools will be closed for winter vacations from January 1 to 15, 2023. With a sudden increase in cases of Covid-19 in Delhi, the central government has appealed to people to wear their masks and strictly follow safety norms in public places. The Delhi government on Monday directed all public hospitals in the national capital to ramp up preparations and augment supplies in anticipation of rising infections in the coming days.

According to an official statement issued on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia chaired a review meeting with directors and medical superintendents of government hospitals. He asked them to prepare for a rise in Covid cases in the near future.

Sisodia directed the hospital heads to take stock of Covid-preparedness and ensure that all requirements, in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Union Health Ministry, are met. He also directed them to submit a compliance report to the Health department. In India, four cases of Covid-19`s new variant, BF.7, have been founded. 

Covid mock drill begins in Delhi

Hospitals across Delhi have also begun mock drills to assess their preparedness, including the availability of beds and manpower, to deal with any increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The Centre issued an advisory to this effect on Monday amid a spurt in COVID-19 cases in some countries. In the national capital, the drill are taking place at Delhi government-run facilities like LNJP Hospital and private hospitals.

Following the Centre's directions, a mock drill is being held in all hospitals to check their readiness for Covid management, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the health portfolio. Any gaps would be addressed immediately by the health department officials, he said.

The mock drill will assess bed availability, manpower, referral resources, testing capacity, medical logistics, telemedicine services and medical oxygen availability, among other things. Real-time data on the availability of beds, oxygen cylinders and ventilators will be available for the public on a Delhi government portal from Tuesday, officials said.

Delhi has recorded 2,007,159 Covid cases and 26,521 deaths since the pandemic started in early 2020. The number of daily cases has remained below 20 and the positivity rate below 1 per cent since mid-November, according to official data.

Referring to the surge in COVID-19 cases in some countries, the Union health ministry on Saturday underlined that it was necessary that requisite public health measures are put in place in all states and union territories to meet any exigencies.