In a bid to boost the efficiency of COVID-19 management in Goa, the Chief Minister on Friday, directed state legislators to start ‘war rooms’ in their respective constituencies to test and treat the infected caseload here. These systems will also look after the patients who are in isolation or need to be shifted to hospitals. These ‘rooms’ will further be equipped with a call centre to enable the representatives to be in touch with home isolated COVID patients, the CM added.
COVID-19 ‘war rooms’ in Goa
The COVID management module in Goa will now accommodate special war rooms to track and treat coronavirus patients in the state, by orders of the Chief Minister. The on-duty officials here will be tasked to keep a record of patients’ oximeter readings regularly and enquire if they are in need of hospitalisation, the CM added. He also said that MLAs should call these home isolated patients in their constituency at least once a day and ensure timely delivery of the government’s COVID-19 kits and grocery items at their respective homes.
Meanwhile, to resolve the coronavirus load in Goa, the government on Thursday, decided to cover up to 80% of the treatment cost of COVID patients at private hospitals. This will now usher in a major economic respite for the people amid the rampant surge of infection here. Patients now need to shoulder only 20% of the medical bills.
Additional restrictions to tackle state’s COVID tallies
While the Goa cabinet has already imposed restrictions and additional curbs to arrest the rise of coronavirus infection, the state reportedly logged in the third-highest case positivity ratio in the country, at over 41%, in the last week. In yet another attempt to contain these surging tallies, the Entertain Society of Goa (ESG) on Thursday revoked all shooting permissions for TV serials and films at all public and private properties.
