DoPT is advising all the government employees above the age of 18 years to get vaccinated at the earliest.

   Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh asks all 18 plus government employees to get vaccinated at the earliest

Posted On: 29 MAY 2021 6:02PM by PIB Delhi

 Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) is advising all the government employees above the age of 18 years to get vaccinated at the earliest.

 This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, while briefing about the measures taken in the light of the second wave of COVID 19 pandemic.

 As per the instructions issued by the Establishment Division of DoPT, Dr Jitendra Singh said, since the Government has decided to include the population of age of 18 and above in the inoculation programme to contain the COVID-19, all employees of the group are advised to get vaccinated. Further, in the light of the increase in the number of COVID positive cases, the Secretaries/HoDs were delegated the powers to regulate the attendance of the employees at all levels, keeping in view the functional requirements and number of positive cases in their respective departments.

    The measures taken in the department in the light of the second wave, said Dr Jitendra Singh, include strict follow-up on the DoPT advisories on preventive steps to be taken to contain the spread of COVID 19. This includes regular sanitisation/disinfection of all the office rooms, areas and surfaces, as well as corridors of the department.

 Dr Jitendra Singh further informed that provision of Glass Partition has been made for work-stations and plastic sheet partitions have been put in place to separate the driver’s seats in official cars. A whatsapp group (We care) has also been created for regular counselling and providing necessary assistance to the employees of the department, who were found to be COVID positive, he added.

 In order to facilitate the vaccination drive, Dr Jitendra Singh said, vaccination camps are also being organised in the North Block in association with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

 Meanwhile, the Minister said that extensive use of webinars and video conferencing tools is being made to carry out work in an uninterrupted manner. He said, it is heartening to note that all the files in the DoPT are being cleared on time and sometimes the urgent files are also cleared in the late hours.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Oxygen Therapy in COVID-19

     Ministry of Health and Family Welfa

 Oxygen Therapy in COVID-19

Posted On: 29 MAY 2021 11:30AM by PIB Mumbai

               During the second wave of COVID-19, an increase in oxygen requirement has been reported in patients. Dr. Ravichandra, Chief Medical Officer, National Tuberculosis Institute, Bangalore explains: “80% of COVID-19 cases reported are mild. Only 15% COVID patients may have moderate disease where one’s oxygen saturation level may go less than 94%. And the remaining 5% COVID infected people may end up having severe disease which shows respiratory rate higher than 30/minute and oxygen saturation level less than 90%.”

Let us take a look at some important aspects involved in restoring oxygen levels in the body, for the benefit of the small proportion of patients who end up needing supplemental oxygen.

Be alert to the Symptoms of Low Oxygen Level

Warning signs of low oxygen level include difficulty in breathing, confusion, difficulty in waking up and bluish lips or face. Adults may develop chest pain that doesn’t go away. Children may experience flaring up of nostrils, grunting while breathing or inability to drink or eat.

                                           Why we should be concerned

According to WHO, Hypoxemia (low oxygen levels in blood) may eventually result in loss of life. When oxygen levels become low because of a sickness such as COVID-19, the cells in the body don’t get enough oxygen to perform their normal functions. If the level remains low for long, maybe due to lack of treatment, organs start to malfunction; in severe cases, it may cause death.

Know How to Measure Oxygen Level

There are two easy ways to measure the oxygen level.

Pulse Oximeter: You can measure the oxygen level of a patient using a pulse oximeter which you can place on their finger, toe or earlobe. It’s a painless test, taking less than two minutes.

Pulse oximeters measure the oxygen saturation or percentage of oxygen in the patient’s blood. According to a WHO training manual on pulse oximetry, if the oxygen saturation is 93% or lower, the patient needs to be treated quickly. A saturation of less than 90% is a clinical emergency.

Respiratory Rate: Respiratory rate is the number of breaths a person takes per minute. Dr. Somashekhara, Director, National Tuberculosis Institute, Bangalore explains a simple method to measure the respiratory rate without any device. Keep your palm on your chest, measure your respiratory rate for 1 minute. If the respiratory rate is less than 24 per minute, your oxygen level is safe. If a patient has more than 30 breaths per minute, the oxygen level is low.

                                       What to do when you face low oxygen level

                                                             Proning

Patients undergoing home care are advised to lie prone on their stomachs. This will improve breathing and increase oxygen saturation. Please check out more details in the Union Health Ministry’s “Proning for Self Care” advisory here.

According to Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 (in Adults), released by the Union Health Ministry on May 24, 2021

awake proning should be encouraged in all patients who require supplemental oxygen therapy.

The advisory by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also underlines important considerations while proning in non-intubated patients

• Any COVID-19 patient with respiratory embarrassment severe enough to be admitted to the hospital may be considered for rotation and early self proning.

• Care must be taken to not disrupt the flow of oxygen during patient rotation

• Typical protocols include 30–120 minutes in prone position, followed by 30–120 minutes in left lateral decubitus (lying on left side), right lateral decubitus (lying on right side), and upright sitting position.

                                            Using oxygen concentrators

Experts suggest that oxygen therapy may be given only in presence of a healthcare provider. However, one may use them in an emergency, while medical attention is being sought or while waiting for an ambulance.

Professor and Head of Department, Anaesthesia, B. J. Medical College, Pune, Prof. Sanyogita Naik advises: “Oxygen concentrators can be used only in moderate cases of COVID-19, when the patient experiences a drop in oxygen levels, where the oxygen requirement is a maximum of 5 litres per minute.”

The professor added that oxygen concentrators are also very useful for patients experiencing post-COVID complications which necessitate oxygen therapy.

In both the above cases, the goal of oxygen therapy is to achieve a saturation level of 94%; once the patient has 93% to 94% oxygen level, the oxygen therapy may be discontinued. Excess of oxygen may lead to increase in the level of Carbon Dioxide, leading to complications.

                                                                          ***

 Mumbai, May 26, 2021

 

Government announces further measures to help families who lost the earning member due to Covid

Prime Minister's Office

Government announces further measures to help families who lost the earning member due to Covid

Family Pension to be given to dependents of those who lost their lives due to Covid under Employees State Insurance Corporation

Insurance benefits under the EDLI scheme enhanced and liberalized

These schemes will help mitigate financial difficulties faced by the families:

                    Posted On: 29 MAY 2021 7:47PM by PIB Delhi

In addition to the measures announced under PM CARES for Children- Empowerment of Covid affected children, Government of India has announced further measures to help families who have lost the earning member due to Covid. They will provide pension to families of those who died due to Covid and an enhanced & liberalised insurance compensation.

PM said that his Government stands in solidarity with their families. He also said that through these schemes, efforts are being made to mitigate financial difficulties that may be faced by them.

• Family Pension under Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

• To help family live a life of dignity and maintain a good standard of living, benefit of ESIC pension scheme for employment related death cases is being extended to even those who have died due to Covid. Dependent family members of such persons will be entitled to the benefit of pension equivalent to 90% of average daily wage drawn by the worker as per the existing norms. This benefit will be available retrospectively with effect from 24.03.2020 and for all such cases till 24.03.2022.

• Employees Provident Fund Organization- Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI)

The insurance benefits under the EDLI scheme have been enhanced and liberalized. Apart from all other beneficiaries, this will in particular help the families of employees who have lost their lives due to COVID.

• Amount of maximum insurance benefit has been increased from ₹ 6 lakh to ₹ 7 lakh
• The provision of minimum insurance benefit of ₹ 2.5 lakh has been restored and will apply retrospectively from 15th February 2020 for the next three years
• To benefit families of contractual/ casual workers, the condition of continuous employment in only one establishment has been liberalized, with benefit being made available to families of even those employees who may have changed jobs in the last 12 months preceding his death.

Detailed guidelines of these schemes are being issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

*****

 

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) Extend Containment Framework Upto 30.06.2021

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)


DO No. Z.28015/85/2021-DM Cell dated 25th April 2021


will remain in force upto 30th June 2021.

Attendance of Central Government officials: DoPT OM dated 28.05.2021 reg Preventive measures to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus

F.No.11013/9/2014-Estt.A.II
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 28th May, 2021

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Preventive measures to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) — Attendance of Central Government officials regarding.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM of even number dated the 6th May, 2021 whereby the instructions regulating the attendance of Central Government employees till 31st May, 2021 were issued. It has been decided to extend the existing arrangement of attendance of Central Government employees till 15th June, 2021 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

(Umesh Kumar Bhatia)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of IndiaTo

1. All the Ministries/Departments, Government of India
2. PMO/Cabinet Secretariat
3. PS to Hon’ble MOS(PP)
4. PSO to Secretary(Personnel)
5. Sr. Tech. Dir., NIC, DoP&T — for uploading.