The Centre advised all states and Union territories to initiate the process of setting up makeshift hospitals and to constitute special teams to monitor patients in home isolation to tackle a possible surge in COVID-19 cases.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that it is imperative to re-emphasise the significance of timely and swift upgradation of health infrastructure in all states and UTs.
“This becomes all the more important since with the sudden increase in cases, we may start seeing a stressed health infrastructure,” he said in a letter to all chief secretaries.
The Centre also said states may consider leveraging hotel rooms and other accommodations linked with the COVID dedicated hospitals in the government and private sector to cater to patients having mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19, as was also done in some states during the earlier surge in cases.
Meanwhile, the registration for vaccination of children against COVID-19 in the 15-18 age group began in Delhi on Saturday, as centres have geared up to start inoculating the younger population from January 3.
