Tiruchi Corporation and the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine have scaled up testing for COVID-19 in containment zones. They are conducting door-to-door testing through mobile fever camps in areas of high incidence.
While fever camps continue to be held across the city, health officials have increased surveillance by lifting throat swabs for patients with the slightest of symptoms. “Many patients in our zone contracted the infection and some deaths were also recorded. However, since we began conducting fever camps, the numbers have reduced,” said an official in Srirangam zone.
Mobile fever camps are being held in areas with a history of people testing positive, or in inaccessible areas.
On Wednesday, a team of doctors from DPH and sanitary workers from the zone visited a few apartments on Melur Road and lifted throat swabs. “We contact the apartment welfare association and ask if there are residents, especially senior citizens, who are unwell and want to get tested,” a sanitary inspector at the zone said.
Swab samples were lifted from apartment residents and sent to the testing centre at K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College.
The mobile fever camps are held in areas where the number of attendees is small, or in slums, or even for senior citizens who want to get tested but cannot reach the camp.
“The DPH has assigned four teams, one for each of the four zones, who have been deputed to the 18 urban primary centres in the city. The teams travel to the area, and along with screening for fever and lifting throat swabs, they also create awareness of the importance of washing hands, wearing face masks and maintaining personal distance,” S. Shanthi, a health officer said.
They are deputed to a fixed number of wards in each zone per week, and the health officers of the civic body guide them to the area where the tests need to be conducted depending upon case history.
The health teams urge the public to utilise the facilities provided for free and visit the fever camps. In some areas, especially in slums, the teams are sometimes chased away by residents, a sanitary supervisor said.
“They think if they give throat swab, they will test positive and then be forced to go to the hospital, and avoiding the test means avoiding the infection. Awareness in such areas is necessary,” he added.