Expedite NEET-PG Counselling to avoid crisis amid Covid surge: Satyendar Jain

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday urged the Centre to expedite the NEET-PG Counselling to avoid medical staff crisis in hospitals as Covid surges. He said that doctors' representatives met Union Health Minister on Tuesday and is hopeful that they will call off the strike soon.

Jain underlined that Delhi is ready for children's vaccination as the drive is going to start from January 3. He said that there is no need to make separate vaccination centre for children as the city has already completed the first dose. "We will use the same centres for children too as people due for second dose visit the centre only when their time comes," said the Delhi Health Minister, adding that now only children will visit those centres for their first dose.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Jain said that the GRAP stage one has been implemented in the city which means that Delhi is under 'Yellow Alert'. "Further discussion on the current Covid situation will take place in today's DDMA meeting," he added.

Terming the Omicron outbreak an important factor for spike in Delhi's daily Covid caseload, he said that Covid-19 positivity rate is around 1 per cent with 496 new cases reported on Tuesday. The cases have increased with the arrival of international flights.

There is no need to create panic as not a single Omicron patient has required oxygen support so far, he added further.