As Delhi sees highest COVID-19 cases in 6 months, Kejriwal urges Center to allow booster dose

Amid rising Omicron cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged the central government to allow the booster dose. Kejriwal said that Delhi has adequate infrastructure for this and those who have received both doses of the vaccine should be given a booster dose. In Delhi, 90 percent of the people have got a single dose and 70 percent of the people have got both doses of the vaccine.

Kejriwal said that more than 100 COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Sunday and it will be checked whether these cases are from the old variant of coronavirus or from Omicron. "We have decided that it should be probed which cases are coming up inside Delhi. Genome sequencing of samples of all the infected will be done," he said.

The CM also said that a meeting of DDMA was held on Monday, in which experts were also called. "I request the Center to allow booster doses for people who are fully vaccinated. Given the rise in cases for some days, now all positive cases in Delhi will be sent for genome sequencing for Omicron. In order to strengthen the home isolation program, a review meeting will be held on December 23," he said.

"Omicron spreads rapidly but there are fewer chances of dying from it. Despite this, if there is a need for hospitals, medicines and oxygen, then we are fully prepared. Home isolation will be needed the most, we will strengthen it. I will hold a meeting for this on December 23," he added.

Amidst the threat of Omicron, Kejriwal also appealed to people to continue wearing masks and keep sanitizing hands.

The chief minister also said that the Delhi government will establish Delhi Teachers` University and a bill related to its legislation will be brought in the upcoming Assembly session. "We have decided to come up with Delhi Teachers` University. The bill will be tabled in the upcoming Assembly session," he added. 

Meanwhile, six new cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant have been reported in Delhi, increasing the case tally to 28.

As Delhi yesterday on Sunday recorded 107 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest in six months, a health expert said the spike could be due to the Omicron variant.

The Delhi government on Saturday converted four private hospitals into dedicated centres for the treatment of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. These four hospitals are Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Max Hospital in Saket, Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj, and Batra Hospital in the Tughlakabad area of the national capital.