Regular oxygen supply flagged by Govt amid preps for fresh fight against Covid

In a fresh advisory to states, the central government has insisted on making sure that enough medical oxygen is available.

This comes as the government is reviewing preparations to fight coronavirus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had warned that coronavirus is not over yet as China and other nations continue to see a massive uptick in cases.

The government has also made it mandatory for international passengers coming from China, Thailand, South Korea and Japan to undergo an RT-PCR test.

India has witnessed three waves of Covid and hospitals had buckled under the pressure of high caseload during the second Covid wave last year. Several cities, including Delhi, had reported cases linked to shortage of medical oxygen.

In the new advisory, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that availability of liquid medical oxygen should be ensured and Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants should be kept functional.

Mock drills for checks and balances, resolution of staff-related issues and easy availability of life support equipment should also be on the priority list, the advisory stresses.

On Friday, the central government had told states to ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour is followed by crowds amid Christmas and New Year revelry. While masks are not ma