With the threat of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 looming large, the district administration has kept ready an isolation ward with 50 oxygen-supported beds and four ICU beds with a team of medical staff in the Vellore Medical College Hospital (VMCH) on Saturday.
After inspecting the COVID-19 screening facilities and vaccination centres in various parts of Vellore, Collector P. Kumaravel Pandian said a screening and vaccination centre had been created at key railway stations, including Katpadi and Gudiyatham, as these are important entry points on the Bengaluru route.
Besides screening commuters arriving at railway stations, especially in Katpadi, for suspected symptoms of the viral infection, vaccination with Covaxin and Covishield is also being done after checking the passengers’ vaccination status. “The new isolation ward for Omicron-infected persons will be manned by a team of medical staff who will perform their duties only in that ward. We are keeping a close watch on the situation,” Mr. Pandian, told The Hindu .
The Collector said that the ‘COVID War Room’ is active in monitoring patients getting admitted to hospitals and was following-up on them even after their discharge from the hospitals.
