COVID-19 Pandemic: Delhi can vaccinate 3 lakh children every day, says Satyendar Jain

Delhi has the capacity to vaccinate 3 lakh children falling in the age group of 15 to 18 years every day, said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday.

He further added that on Friday Delhi recorded 1,796 COVID-19 and the positivity rate was 2.44 per cent. "The good thing is that there was not even a single death yesterday", said Jain.

Regarding the figures of Omicron in the total COVID-19 cases, Satyendar Jain said that till two days ago, there was 54 per cent Omicron among the total cases. "Today if after the data comes we will know how much it has increased. But of course, Omicron continues to grow", added the Health Minister.

Now the registration has started on COWIN for the vaccination of children. Satyendra Jain said, "We are fully prepared. The Delhi government has prepared about 1,000 centres and we have the capacity to administer 3 lakh vaccines every day. Right now about one and a half lakh doses of vaccine are being administered every day and if needed, we can increase it. No matter how many children are there, we have preparations to vaccinate everyone in seven to 10 days. The government has also trained health workers for the vaccination of children."

The Delhi health minister said, "No patient of Omicron is serious yet. People are also coming from outside, their RTPCR test is done at the airport. Those who are found positive are kept in Institutional Quarantine. A five-star hotel has also been arranged for such people. The Delhi Government has made arrangements for them at Pet Quarantine and at the Red Fox Hotel near the airport. For the rest, arrangements have been made in the Quarantine Center. There is a system of both paid and free quarantine."

On the question of strictness amid rising COVID-19 cases, Satyendra Jain said, "Many restrictions have been imposed in Delhi. There is no restriction except night curfew in any state in the country, while schools, colleges, cinema halls, banquet halls are all closed in Delhi. Shops and malls are running on an Odd-Even basis. Now after reviewing the hospital admission, more restrictions will be applied. Last time a large number of people were getting admitted, but as of now, the hospital admission is very less, if the admissions increase again, we will discuss the restrictions in the next DDMA meeting."

Satyendra Jain further said, "COVID-19 is spreading rapidly at present, and it is a matter of satisfaction that serious cases of Omicron are not coming." "But be it Delta or Omicron, the method of treatment for all is the same. All the people of Delhi have to be careful, leave the house only when it is necessary and wear a mask."

Satyendar Jain said, "The Rajan Babu Hospital of North Delhi Municipal Corporation is running in a dilapidated building, while the corporation itself has declared it as a danger, despite that treatment is going on there." We have now ordered an inquiry into this matter. Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department will investigate this."

(ANI)