Victims of Covid-19 infection, which has seen a huge spike in the country and Goa in the last one week are totally isolated to ensure that they will not infect close members of their family and friends. Covid-19 is similar to rabbies and small pox where the patient is kept totally isolated without any attendant and barred from even meeting close family members. So much so unlike other serious diseases including heart attacks kidney transplant the physiological affect of being infected with covid-19 is even more serious than the physical damage.
If you develop symptoms such as high temperature above 103, running nose and whooping cough you would be advise to tested and necessary admitted. Unfortunately due to the number of cases rises to over 500 in the last two days it is houseful in the south Goa district hospital, the GMC and all the private hospitals. So if you developed Covid-19 symptom you are likely to be accommodated in the shyam Prasad Mukerjee Staudim where covid-19 centre have been set up. All covid-19 patient who live in a single room along with the family or do not have the separate toilet are require to go to a covid-19 centre and not opt for self isolation.
Goa is lucky in that it has more than adequate stock of the covishield whihc is preffered over the covaxine, Unlike in the case of Maharashtra and karnataka which are running out of vaccines, less then 10% of the vaccines allotted for eligible categories like those over 45 and senior citizens have been used in the state. Contrary to the general impression the archibishop Filipe Neri and the Maulana of the Jama Masjid have got themselves vaccined and have made an appeal all eligible section of the Goan population to get vaccinated. Any one who is resident from Goa and has an aadhar card or any other proof of age can get vaccinated free at the Urban and Rural health centre and for a token of Rs 250 in private hospitals. Prior registration on the CoWin app is not necesssaru and you can register directly at the vaccination centre. The government vaccination center including all Urban and Rural health centre and govrnment hoistals are being kpet open on Saturday and Sunday to enable daily workers to get vaccinated on their day off.
IT has advised that to get vaccinated early before the stock is exhausted or the un-use vaccines are diverted to karnataka and in the case of Mhadei waters. The Serum institute has not been able to produced vaccines to the full capacity as the US has banned the import of raw materials needed to make the covishield vaccine.
Unlike other states no curbs on visitors from covid affected state have been imposed in Goa. There is no night curfew unlike in Mumbai Bengaluru and Delhi in the interest of promoting tourism . Ironically the tourism belt of Calangute and Candolim has seen a huge increase in the number of covid-19 cases. The local MLA Michael Lobo however is insistent that there should be no curbs particularly in tourist.
The Goa Chief Minister has only warned all resident of Goa to follow the Standard Operating procedure. Anyone without mask can be fined multiple times. The Delhi High Court has passed an order requiring even people driving their own cars to wear mask or get fined. The limit for gatherings at marriages has been reduced to 50 in Goa.