No Covid-19 screening at rly station

Coimbatore: Close to 960 train passengers, who got down at the city railway station on Monday night, were allowed to head to their destinations without subjecting them to Covid-19 test.
While 666 of them were passengers of Mayiladuthurai-Coimbatore Jan Shatabdi, the remaining arrived in the city in Katpadi-Coimbatore train.
The public health department, however, clarified that train passengers to the city would not be tested for the novel coronavirus. Dr G Ramesh Kumar, deputy director of public health, said, “Like the system we put in place for international flyers to the city in March, we are asking all the rail passengers from other zones or districts beyond Salem and Namakkal to quarantine themselves for at least seven days. We have also asked the railway to immediately stop any symptomatic person from leaving the station premises and inform us.”
A source with the city railway station, meanwhile, said all the passengers were being thermally screened for temperature before allowing them to head to their destinations.
However, the question is whether the railway or health department can ensure that the passengers are following quarantine norms and staying indoors for seven days.
“We have asked our staff to trace the passengers, especially those coming from districts close to Chennai, and stamp their hands and stick quarantine poster outside their houses. We have found this method effective in ensuring they stay indoors, because many of their neighbours would inform us if they flout norms,” the deputy director of public health said.
He said all the passengers from other zones were also made to confirm their contact and address details. “While the railway will hand over the list of arrivals from other zones, we will stamp them and stick posters at their houses.”