Meghalaya: Live discussion on COVID-19 held in Shillong

By Daiaphira Kharsati

SHILLONG:

The director of health services (MI), Dr Aman Warr, on Saturday, emphasised the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine and urged the public to cooperate and get themselves vaccinated.
While addressing a live discussion on COVID-19 with state medical experts, Warr stated that the vaccine would help protect against the second wave.
“There is no politics with the pandemic. Cooperation is strength,” Warr said while expressing helplessness because of the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases.
However, he also stated that he hoped the 10-day containment period would help curb the spread.
“All this time, we have been preparing. Seeing what is happening, we feel it is insufficient, but after thorough discussion with the state government, we have a 10-day window to flatten the curve,” Warr said, adding that the State Government has ordered oxygen cylinders, beds and is making sure that hospitals have the required workforce.
Stating that vaccination is important, he said that getting protected puts less strain on the hospitals.
“We don’t want manpower to be exhausted and resources depleted,” he said.
A video detailing the surge of the second wave of COVID-19 here in India was also played during the discussion.
The video showed the chaos in India caused due to a lack of oxygen and blood supply, including the crematoriums that were built overnight.
The video also affirmed the arrival of the second wave of the virus is in the state.
Besides this, Warr also informed that the state registered 262 positive cases and 198 recoveries on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a doctor from the Indian Institute of Public Health, Dr Rajiv Sarkar, said that vaccination is the safest and most effective option as there is no specific treatment for the disease.
Dr V.J Laloo, a specialist in community medicine, also informed that the State Government placed an order with the Serum Institute of India (SII).
Vaccines will arrive in four weeks and will be available for children and pregnant women, the specialist said.
Besides this, a doctor from Dr H. Gordon Roberts Hospital, Meban Kharkongor, said that side effects of the vaccine would include a feeling of weakness, body ache, and mild fever.
The side effects will not be severe as the protection of the vaccine will be against the virus, Kharkongor said.
The discussion also highlighted that people with diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid, liver and kidney problems should get themselves vaccinated at the earliest as they are at “high risk” of contracting COVID-19.
While addressing reporters after the discussion, Dr V.J Laloo said that there are over 80,000 vaccine doses left in the state and would be sufficient for at least four days at the rate of 12,000 to 15,000 doses per day.
The Meghalaya Government is currently monitoring the vaccination through an app as the state awaits another 30 lakh doses.
Others who attended the discussion included traditional heads from across Shillong, including the Syiem of Hima Mylliem.

(Edited by Andre Kongri)

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