Allahabad, January 4: With the coronavirus cases rising across the country, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Tuesday said the state government is already prepared to deal with the third wave of the pandemic.

"We have given instructions to all to follow the Covid guidelines in letter and spirit and have started the process to expeditiously vaccinate schoolchildren," he told reporters here. Also Read | Delhi Logs 5,481 New COVID-19 Cases in Past 24 Hours, Highest Since May 16.

He was in the city to attend the fourth convocation of Professor Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University as the special guest. On the coronavirus vaccination drive in the state, he said about 86 per cent of the eligible population has been inoculated so far. Also Read | Molnupiravir, COVID-19 Antiviral Drug, Launched in India at Rs 1,399 For Mild to Moderate Infection.

The state government is ready to make available medicines, oxygen, ventilators and other facilities everywhere, he said. "Whatever preparations could have been done to deal with coronavirus has been done already by the government," he said.

The coronavirus situation in Uttar Pradesh is currently under control, and the government is assessing how it can pan out in the future, the deputy chief minister said.

On the upcoming assembly polls, he said people have liked the works done by the Central and state governments which is indicated by the "huge crowds that gather during the Jan Vishwas Yatras" of the BJP.

"I can say that Opposition parties are desperate and disappointed and are fighting amongst themselves for the second, third and the fourth position," he said.

Sharma said the Samajwadi Party is fighting with the Bahujan Samaj Party which, in turn, is trying to corner the Congress. "And all three are facing Owaisi's party (the AIMIM)."

All these parties take the name of the BJP while competing among themselves so that they can compare themselves with the BJP, he said.

In his address at the convocation ceremony, the deputy chief minister said Uttar Pradesh is ahead in implementing the New Education Policy and has also brought radical changes in research works. He said that more than 76,000 lectures have been uploaded in the digital library in the state.

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