Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Pradipta Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare informed that the situation in Khurda, Cuttack and districts, bordering Chhattisgarh is sensitive and requested the people to follow all the guidelines of Covid-19 to help the government in bringing the Covid situation under control.
While addressing in the media Mohapatra requested all the people not get panic if the report comes positive and follow the home isolation along with the prescribed guidelines. He then further requested the people to leave the hospital beds for the critical patients. He also asked the patients to contact government helpline numbers like 104 for any further information.
He further added that home isolation is the best place as there the patient will be in a comfort zone and about 89% cases of the present active cases in the state are at home. He also informed that the government is providing medical kits and other assistance.
Regarding the vaccination process, he stated that the priority will be given to persons who are eligible for the second dose and people should also come forward and allow the persons eligible for the second dose to avail it.
He added that 1.93 crore people in the 18-44 age group will get COVID vaccine shots for free as promised by the government. The government have placed orders but they are not sure when the vaccine will arrive and they have already given Rs 700 crore to Odisha State Medical Corporation limited for vaccines purchase.
He further informed that there is no shortage of beds or oxygen and the government has tied up with the private hospitals for the purpose and the district heads have also been authorised to decide at their end.
He also informed that directives have been issued to ensure that no oxygen cylinder remains empty in any hospital. They have been supplying oxygen to other states due to surplus availability and if the situation arises demand of the state then first priority will be given.
He further added that rapid antigen testing has been increased from about 8,000 to nearly 18,000 and plans are also to further increase it to it 50,000. As many as 30 contacts of a positive person are being traced and tests conducted.
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