The Odisha Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday, 10 May, approved of a global tender to procure COVID vaccines for the people of the state.
The move will help the state inoculate “vulnerable populations, save lives and restore livelihoods”, noted the circular.
In the spirit of “quick vaccination being the need of the hour”, the state urged the Centre to exempt vaccines from all tax liabilities to reduce the financial burden on states. The circular emphasised on the importance of universal vaccination.
“The Odisha Cabinet reiterates its determination to fight the virus with all available resources and provide medical support to the COVID patients. It sincerely appeals to the people of Odisha to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour, like wearing masks, regularly washing hands, maintaining social distance, staying at home and going out only if necessary,” it read.
The circular notes that this move will benefit frontline health workers, to whom the state expressed gratitude for cooperating in the fight against COVID, be it with testing, vaccination, following lockdown protocols, etc.
The tender will be floated to procure vaccine supplies at the earliest. Any additional resources raised through cess and surcharges by the Modi government is suitably shared with the state government in the fight against COVID, as per the circular.
On 9 May, Odisha had 10,031 new COVID cases, new recoveries were 8,541, and cumulative tests were logged at 1,05,66,215. There have been a total of 5,44,873 cases, 4,47,863 patients recovering. The active cases were recorded at 94,760, with 6,623 in quarantine.
The Odisha government announced a 14-day lockdown to curb the spread of COVID on Sunday, 2 May. The lockdown started on 5 May and will continue till 5 am on 19 May.
The order added: “However, there shall be complete shutdown on weekends, from 6pm on Fridays till 5am on Mondays.”
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