Maharashtra sets up COVID-19 task force again

Health Minister Tanaji Sawant urges people not to panic about the JN.1 variant but follow COVID-19 guidelines

Considering the increase in number of COVID-19 cases daily in the State, the Maharashtra government has once again formed the COVID-19 special task force. The first meeting of the task force was held on Thursday where Health Minister Tanaji Sawant urged people not to panic about the JN.1 variant but follow COVID-19 guidelines, mask up in crowded places during the New Year celebrations and visits to religious places. People with comorbidities are advised to be extra careful.

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The meeting was attended by district officials and district health departments. The task force would issue a list of medicines and guidelines soon to ensure uniformity in treatment.

Members of the new COVID-19 task force include — Dr. Raman R. Gangakhedkar, former ISCMR Head, Delhi; Madhuri Kanitkar, Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik; Dr. Rajesh Karkarte from B.J. Medical College, Pune; Director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Mumbai; Dr. Varsha Potdar, Navale Medical College, Pune; Dr. D. B. Kadam, physician, Navale Medical College, Pune; and Commissioner, Health Services and Campaign Director, National Health Campaign, Mumbai member-secretary.

The job of the task force is to issue guidelines about COVID-19 management, immunisation and precautions that will be followed and implemented across the State for COVID-19 management.

Dr. Kailas Baviskar, Deputy Director, IEC Bureau, Pune said, “We are closely monitoring COVID-19 as well as JN.1 sub-variant cases in all the hospitals. A nodal officer is dedicated to report on JN.1 infected COVID-19 cases from all the hospitals, both private and government. This special task force was set up in 2020 as per the government’s decision to control the increased number of patients during the first wave of COVID-19 and to plan a solution for the COVID-19 outbreak. Though there is nothing to worry we still decided to again form the task force to monitor the situation closely.”

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The responsibility of the task force is to establish patient management protocols for critically ill COVID-19 patients, recommending the need for specialist doctors and health care support staff, and maintain uniformity in treatment.

As of Thursday, there are 369 active cases in the State and 117 new cases were recorded and 12 patients were discharged.