Following a call by the district authorities, many non-governmental organisations have taken up campaigns to create awareness among the public on the importance of using sanitisers, wearing masks and maintaining physical distance to protect oneself from coronavirus.
The Kesali Foundation has distributed around 5,000 masks and sanitisers in Gurla, Garividi, Cheepurupalli and other areas. “We have been extending financial help to low-income group employees who have lost their livelihood with the closure of many industries and shops in Vizianagaram district,” said its president Kesali Apparao.
SPARKS members, including its founder P.V. Padmanabham, president T.P. Bhavani and secretary P. Sowjanya, have been distributing masks to people from all walks of life. Mr. Padmanabham said they were making people understand that wearing a mask in public places was compulsory in view of the increasing COVID-19 cases in the district.
World Vision manager Pattapu Shyambabu said that his organisation had extended a financial assistance of ₹1,000 each to 2,000 families in Gantyada mandal. “We have been training rural folk on COVID-19 protocol since the virus is spreading quickly in villages,” he added.
Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal and SP B. Rajakumari urged people from all walks of life to come forward voluntarily to create awareness on COVID-19 protocol among the public.
Quarantine violations
Meanwhile, police personnel are counselling the people who have been advised 14-day home quarantine to follow the norms, since it’s been observed that many of them were moving around freely.
Many Station House Officers with the support of NGOs have been holding awareness programmes in Chintalavalasa, Bhogapuram, Pusapati Rega, Bondapalli and other places.