Private hospitals in Kerala have been instructed to reserve 50 per cent of beds for Covid patients. Health Minister Veena George issued the directive in the wake of the surge in Covid cases in the state.
Private hospitals have also been asked to submit data of Covid patients undergoing treatment, including those admitted to ICU and ventilators, to the district medical officers every day.
Those who don't hand over the proper data will have to face action based on the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Act. The decisions were taken at a daily meeting of the State Rapid Response Team.
The meeting emphasised on the need to complete vaccination without delay. Eighty-three per cent of the eligible people have received at least one dose of vaccination in the state. Those who have taken first dose of Covishield vaccine have to take the second dose immediately after 84 days. Those who have been administered Covaxin have to get the second dose after 28 days.
Those who are eligible for the booster dose should get it nine months after being administered the second dose.
No OP in Thiruvananthapuram govt hospitals
The authorities have decided to restrict out patient service in a section of government hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram from Sunday.
There will not be OP services in the primary health centres and community health centres in the afternoon. The services will be restricted as healthcare staff have to be deployed for Covid treatment.
