Social distancing will protect people from COVID-19: Nitish Kumar

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said practising social distancing during lockdown will not only protect people from COVID-19 but will also help protect them from other diseases.

Kumar was apprised of the latest COVID-19 situation in the state by officials at the meeting here.

The chief minister asked the officials to ensure the treatment of other diseases apart from COVID-19 at hospitals so that general patients do not face any kind of difficulties in treatment.

“We have full commitment to tackle COVID-19. Practising social distancing apart from enforcing lockdown will protect us from COVID-19 infections, Kumar said according to an official release.

Ensuring adequate arrangements of ambulance for COVID-19 positive patients was necessary but the general patients should also be provided the facilities of ambulance, Kumar said.

The chief minister said that people coming from other states must be tested for COVID-19 regularly and every family in the four affected districts must be screened for Coronavirus.

“The drive (door to door screening) is being carried out on the lines of Pulse polio to identify COVID-19 infected people in affected districts. Every family must be covered during the drive being carried out . District Magistrates to supervise it in the districts,” he said

Kumar asked officials to ensure timely distribution of ration to ration cardholders.
The CM directed that dry milk powder be made available to the people at disaster relief camps.

The chief minister directed officials to start online classes for students of class 9 and 10.

Education Departments Principal Secretary R K Mahajan informed the CM that one hour slot has been booked on DD, Bihar for starting online education from April 20, while another slot for online education for class 11 and 12 has been sought for.