Mask up, avoid gathering, foreign travel: Top doctors’ body issues advisory amid covid scare

India

oi-Deepika S

The
IMA
also
advised
avoiding
public
gatherings
like
marriages,
political
or
social
meetings,
and
international
travel.

New
Delhi,
Dec
22:
Indian
Medical
Association
on
Thursday
urged
the
public
to
follow
Covid
appropriate
behaviour
with
immediate
effect.

The
country’s
top
doctors’ body,
advised
taking
steps
to
overcome
“the
impending
Covid
outbreak,
including
wearing
face
masks
in
all
public
places,
maintaining
social
distancing,
and
regular
handwashing
with
soap
and
water
or
sanitisers.

“In
view
of
the
sudden
surge
of
Covid
cases
in
different
countries,
the
Indian
Medical
Association
alerts
and
appeals
the
public
to
follow
COVID
appropriate
behaviour
with
immediate
effect.
As
per
the
available
reports,
nearly
5.37
lakhs
new
cases
have
been
reported
in
last
24
hours
from
major
countries
like
the
USA,
Japan,
South
Korea,
France,
and
Brazil.
India
has
reported
145
new
cases
in
last
24
hours,
out
of
which
four
cases
are
the
new
China
variant
–
BF.7,”
the
statement
it.

“As
of
now,
the
situation
is
not
alarming
and
therefore
there
is
no
need
to
panic.
Prevention
is
better
than
cure,”
it
said.

Fact
Check:
This
message
claiming
that
these
are
new
symptoms
of
XBB
strain
of
COVID-19
are
fake

The
IMA
advised
all
to
take
the
following
necessary
steps
to
overcome
the
impending
COVID
outbreak:

1. Face
   masks
   are
   to
   be
   used
   in
   all
   public
   places.
2. Social
   distancing
   is
   to
   be
   maintained.
3. Regular
   hand
   washing
   with
   soap
   and
   water
   or
   sanitizers.
4. Public
   gatherings
   like
   marriages,
   political
   or
   social
   meetings
   etc.
   to
   be
   avoided.
5. Avoid
   International
   travel.
6. Consult
   the
   doctor
   in
   case
   of
   any
   symptoms
   like
   fever,
   sore
   throat,
   cough,
   loose
   motions
   etc.
7. Get
   your
   COVID
   vaccination
   including
   precautionary
   dose
   at
   the
   earliest.
8. Follow
   the
   government
   advisory
   issued
   from
   time
   to
   time.

“The
Indian
Medical
Association
with
more
than
3.5
lakhs
medical
practitioners
across
the
county
is
committed
to
fight
the
dreaded
disease
and
assures
the
government
its
full
cooperation
and
participation
in
all
activities
of
preventive
and
curative
measures,”
the
IMA
said.