Shillong, Sept 29: Newly-appointed Director of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Prof. (Dr.) Nalin Mehta has stressed on the need for people to get vaccinated at the earliest to avoid a critical situation as was witnessed during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Mehta has urged the citizens who are of eligible age to do their bit and get vaccinated and follow the SOPs laid down by the Government. He said that the double vaccinated people have shown lesser number of cases being infected and have reported less fatalities. The unvaccinated people are more susceptible to the virus.

He also said that even though the vaccination centres are open, the number of vaccinations done is not up to the mark. He urged the people to get vaccinated and said that this can actually save lives not only theirs but also their families.

He further mentioned that the entire world was overwhelmed by the numbers of COVID cases everywhere including advanced nations with better health infrastructure, especially in the second wave, and if the same happens in the third wave it would be difficult for any healthcare facility or hospital including NEIGRIHMS.

NEIGRIHMS well equipped to tackle 3rd wave of COVID-19

Nonetheless, for the current rate of cases and if there is a spike, he said the super specialty hospital is well equipped to tackle the third wave if it comes to the state, as it has learned from the first two waves of COVID-19.

The Director of NEIGRIHMS said that the hospital is equipped with a robust COVID critical care unit where serious patients can be handled very well and the emergency area has been converted into a COVID ward. He added that as of now the hospital has full wards which have been converted into COVID wards and as and when the need requires and cases increase they would be adding more beds if required.

At the same time, he said if the basic protocols are followed by the people, which have been laid down by the Government like wearing of mask, physical distancing, hand hygiene amongst others and if they are followed with discipline, there will be lesser number of cases and admissions into the hospitals.

Mehta also lauded the efforts of Meghalaya government in the battle against COVID-19 so far and said that he has been assured of full cooperation from the state government, and said that they will be fighting this COVID pandemic together.