Principal & Dean Government Medical College Jammu and Associated Hospitals, Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma has urged the public to cooperate with the health system amidst the rising challenge of Covid-19.“The pandemic has come as an unprecedented and unforeseen challenge for all of us and especially the health fraternity. The prime need is to build trust between the public and the health system”, the GMC Principal said.‘With the number of Covid-19 patients increasing, the administration is also ramping up facilities, equipment, infrastructure besides increasing the number of frontline workers. Our health workers are working round the clock and we are trying our best to serve the public. GMC Jammu being the only tertiary care health centre in the region, the challenge before us is huge,” said Dr Shashi and added that the challenge can only be met when public and the health personnel work together.The GMC Principal expressed empathy for the patients and their families facing hardship and said that the Jammu Medical College Hospital has increased the number of critical care beds and is treating more than 700 critical Covid patients, while patients with mild and moderate symptoms are being looked after at Covid health Centres and Covid Care Centres. She also expressed concern over the high positivity rate observed while testing, saying that the high positivity rate also underlines the greater need for adopting Covid appropriate behaviour for saving oneself as well as saving the lives of our loved ones.“It is high time to take up the challenge and adopt covid appropriate behaviour, which includes wearing face mask in public, frequently washing hands and maintaining social distance” Dr Shashi said.Emphasising on avoiding public gathering, the Principal said that the variants of the deadly virus are mutating at a rapid rate due to availability of a large number of hosts. 'Only by putting an end to further spread of the infection, we can easily prevent its mutations', she said.She called upon the public to take Covid vaccine according to age group. ‘We won’t be able to keep up in our fight against Covid without public cooperation. The people need to go for vaccination and take precautions, which is the only way we can defeat Covid” she added.With faith on the system, and self discipline, we shall overcome Covid-19 pandemic, concluded Dr Shashi Sudan.Meanwhile, the Health department is operating a 24*7 helpline number 0191 2571616 for all Covid-related queries. Public can also call Divisional Control Room at 0191-2520982, 2549676, 2674444, 2674115, 2674908.The J&K Government has also launched a live Call-in health programme on Gulistan channel which is being aired twice daily- from 8:30 am to 9 am and 8:30 pm to 9 pm. Eminent doctors are taking public phone calls during the show, and anybody from the public could call on the above mentioned Divisional Control Room phone numbers and seek information related to Covid treatment, home isolation and other non-Covid health problems.