Govt to test all residents in state’s containment zones
REINING IN VIRUS The decision taken after reports about ‘bad management’ in such areas leading to spread of the virus; complete ban on movement
CHANDIGARH: Punjab has decided to conduct antigen tests on all residents in an area declared a containment or a micro containment zone.
The decision has been taken after ground reports pointed out ‘bad management’ — mainly regarding movement of people —in these zones leading to spread of the virus rapidly.
Any area or locality is declared a micro containment zone when up to five infections are detected, whereas a containment zone is demarcated as a high risk zone when more than five cases surface.
Antigen test shows results in half an hour and those coming out negative have to go for RT-PCR test in case they develop any symptom.
As per a senior doctor involved in Covid-19 duties, bad management of containment zones is the major reason behind spread of the disease in cities, especially in Ludhiana.
“The chances of spread of the disease inside a containment zone, especially in congested and walled areas of cities, are much more. The biggest reason behind the rapid spread is that people hide crucial information during contact-tracing out of scare,” Punjab’s nodal officer for Covid-19 Dr Rajesh Bhaskar said.
As per a senior official, till now, the department has carried out 10,000 antigen tests and only a couple of days back, order for 2 lakh more antigen testing kits was placed.
The spread in containment zone is the reason why the additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, had to issue a separate order that any person living in a containment zone can’t move out or join work, government or private, for 14 days. The order dated July 8 say all such people will be deemed on duty by the respective organisations and departments for 14 days.
“We have seen several examples in which the virus reached government and private offices with the employees coming from containment zones. There were also reports about private offices compelling their employees to join work even if they residing in containment zones,” a senior health functionary said.
200 DEATHS, 8,000 CASES IN 10 DAYS
The state has witnessed 200 deaths and 7,826 cases since August 1, prompting the health department to ban movement out of containment zones. As per the data, the state has been carrying out 11,500 tests (excluding antigen tests) per day for a week with maximum 12,700 RT-PCR tests conducted on August 8.