‘Avoid rath yatra if you have Covid symptoms'
Gandhinagar: While urging people to take precautions against Covid-19, state health minister Rushikesh Patel on Wednesday advised those with Covid-like symptoms and those with co-morbidities to refrain from participating in Lord Jagannath's rath yatra on June 27.
"People who have symptoms like those of Covid-19 must refrain from participating in the rath yatra. Also, people with co-morbidities, the elderly, and those who have flu-like symptoms must remain in their houses and watch the rath yatra," Patel said while talking to reporters in Gandhinagar on Wednesday.
He added that this will ensure that people who have symptoms will not transmit it to others, and co-morbid people will also not be exposed to infections.
Meanwhile, after participating in the jal yatra in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi said that the rath yatra is a centre of devotion for lakhs of people.
"Preparations are being made for the rath yatra to be held on June 27. It is the biggest procession from the perspectives of both devotion and administration," the minister said.
With more than 1,200 active Covid-19 cases in Gujarat at present, Patel said that although the variant responsible for the surge is less severe than previous ones, people need to take precautions and isolate themselves if symptoms emerge.
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"We are in touch with the Union health ministry. The variant responsible for these new cases belongs to the Omicron family, which is less severe," he said. Although the variant is not very harmful, people need to take precautionary measures. Patel said that health infrastructure like beds, medicines and medical oxygen supply is in place.
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