KOLKATA: Residents in sensitive zones purchasing over-the-counter drugs for fever, cough and cold have come under the scanner.
With not many in intense lockdown pockets voluntarily stepping forward to acknowledge that they have Covid-like symptoms, police and civic authorities have approached pharmacies located either within these areas or just beyond and asked them to note down names, addresses and phone numbers of customers purchasing paracetamol tablets and cough syrups so that they can be traced and monitored.
“A KMC health and police team will regularly collect the customer data from the pharmacies in and around containment zones,” a civic health official told TOI.
The information, the official explained, would be of help when civic health staffers begin door-to-door fever survey in the containment zones. The teams will check the addresses provided by the pharmacies and see if a resident is suffering from regular fever or has symptoms that are akin to Covid-19.
“We have been collecting fever data from Covid-affected zones. Based on our feedback, the state health department is planning mode of treatment and quarantine methods. Once we narrow down to homes that have patients suffering from cough and fever, we will be able to more intensively monitor their conditions and isolate them as soon as they display Covid symptoms,” the KMC official said.
Once a person shows Covid symptoms, he or she will be sent to a quarantine centre for isolation and testing. All family members will be stringently quarantined in the house.
Police are confident of detecting more Covid suspects once they begin tracking pharmacies. “Many people don’t go to the doctor when they have cough or fever. Instead, they go to the local pharmacy and purchase an over-the-counter drug that can be bought without a prescription. We are asking the pharmacists to suggest to customers who buy paracetamol and other such drugs to visit doctors,” said a police officer.
Incidentally, police teams are in touch with all physicians who practice locally in order to get alerts on suspected Covid cases. Police are also encouraging local residents in containment zones to disclose what support they are looking forward from the force. “We need people’s cooperation to be effective. This isn’t a crime but a public health issue,” said an officer.
Police are also helping civic workers to deal with hostile situations. “It was agreed that every KMC team will be provided with security after reports of unfriendly and even vocal residents opposing or restricting their entry in to Covid-sensitive areas. Police will also arrange for smooth entry and exit of KMC ambulances for those who have to be removed to hospitals or quarantine centres,” said a senior police officer.
The cops are also setting up CCTVs in specific “trouble spots” in central and southeast Kolkata after analysing photographs captured by drones.
With not many in intense lockdown pockets voluntarily stepping forward to acknowledge that they have Covid-like symptoms, police and civic authorities have approached pharmacies located either within these areas or just beyond and asked them to note down names, addresses and phone numbers of customers purchasing paracetamol tablets and cough syrups so that they can be traced and monitored.
“A KMC health and police team will regularly collect the customer data from the pharmacies in and around containment zones,” a civic health official told TOI.
The information, the official explained, would be of help when civic health staffers begin door-to-door fever survey in the containment zones. The teams will check the addresses provided by the pharmacies and see if a resident is suffering from regular fever or has symptoms that are akin to Covid-19.
“We have been collecting fever data from Covid-affected zones. Based on our feedback, the state health department is planning mode of treatment and quarantine methods. Once we narrow down to homes that have patients suffering from cough and fever, we will be able to more intensively monitor their conditions and isolate them as soon as they display Covid symptoms,” the KMC official said.
Once a person shows Covid symptoms, he or she will be sent to a quarantine centre for isolation and testing. All family members will be stringently quarantined in the house.
Police are confident of detecting more Covid suspects once they begin tracking pharmacies. “Many people don’t go to the doctor when they have cough or fever. Instead, they go to the local pharmacy and purchase an over-the-counter drug that can be bought without a prescription. We are asking the pharmacists to suggest to customers who buy paracetamol and other such drugs to visit doctors,” said a police officer.
Incidentally, police teams are in touch with all physicians who practice locally in order to get alerts on suspected Covid cases. Police are also encouraging local residents in containment zones to disclose what support they are looking forward from the force. “We need people’s cooperation to be effective. This isn’t a crime but a public health issue,” said an officer.
Police are also helping civic workers to deal with hostile situations. “It was agreed that every KMC team will be provided with security after reports of unfriendly and even vocal residents opposing or restricting their entry in to Covid-sensitive areas. Police will also arrange for smooth entry and exit of KMC ambulances for those who have to be removed to hospitals or quarantine centres,” said a senior police officer.
The cops are also setting up CCTVs in specific “trouble spots” in central and southeast Kolkata after analysing photographs captured by drones.
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