9 police personnel, 2 doctors infected in HP

HIMACHAL

DHARAMSHALA : Nine police personnel and two doctors have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began four months ago. Fortunately, there has been no casualty among Covid warriors.

The first instance of a policeman getting infected was reported in Kangra district on May 12 when a 50-year-old head constable posted at Panchrukhi police station tested positive. He has since recovered but the source of infection remains untraced.

In Una, a constable at the superintendent of police’s office tested positive after which the entire premises was sealed and staff quarantined.

Two head constables and a constable at Bhabha Nagar police station in the tribal district of Kinnaur tested positive on June 26. Again, the source of infection remains untraced.

A traffic police constable posted at the Una police station tested positive on Sunday while the driver of DSP Amb tested positive on Saturday. Both are under treatment.

Two doctors have tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal so far. One of them was deployed in the Covid ward of the Dr Rajendra

Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Tanda, Kangra. The other was a lady doctor on duty at a quarantine centre near Palampur town.

Both of them have recovered and are back on duty.

KEEPING MORALE UP AMID INCREASED LOAD

Shiv Kumar Sharma, additional superintendent of police (ASP), Solan, admits policing has become challenging in such times. “The biggest challenge is that cops on frontline duty should not let the morale dip. Everyone knows the dangers; they have families and limitations. Precautions are of utmost importance,” he says.

The work of police has also increased manifold due to the pandemic. Apart from law and order and border management, police are engaged for contact tracing and supply of essentials.

Doctors too are struggling with increased workload. Dr Satyavrat Vaidya, the district surveillance officer in Kullu, says, “I haven’t taken an off in the past three months and haven’t even been able to meet my father who not keeping well.”

Doctors are working in shifts stretching from 12-18 hours a day as against the eight hours on normal days.

BHARAT BHUSHAN /HT ■ A doctor examining police personnel deployed at the bus stand in Patiala. Some of our warriors have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, while many have recovered and are back on Covid duty.