Jamshedpur: The district administration has decided to deploy six Covid test teams across all the popular picnic spots in Jamshedpur and in Ghatshila for conducting random tests on the revellers that are expected to throng the spots throughout the first week of January. On Thursday, additional chief medical officer Sahir Pall, who is also the district surveillance officer, said, “Each team will comprise two health workers and some support staff who will conduct RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen tests on the picnickers.”
In addition to this, a few police squads have been constituted which will patrol the picnic spots and coordinate with the health officials to make sure that the picnickers undergo the test. “Five police squads have been formed to keep a close vigil on these spots, especially the ones in Ghatshila as they are frequented by those living in Bengal, besides the district’s residents,” SSP M Tamil Vanan said.
Galudih dam, Phuldungri hill, Dharagiri Falls, Ratmohana and Burudih dam in Ghatshila and Dimna Lake in Steel City are some of the popular spots which get visitors from West Bengal.
The administration’s decision to conduct tests at random comes a day after the district officials in Ranchi decided to go for a similar arrangement across all its popular tourist/picnic spots.
Pall said it is crucial that the administration adopts such strict measures keeping in mind the new virus strain detected in United Kingdom (UK) and the fact that several UK returnees to India have already tested positive for the new variant. Recently, seven UK returnees to Steel City had tested negative for it but they were put in home isolation for a week as a precautionary measure.
“Given the gravity of the situation, it is important that we keep a close watch on the revellers who need to follow the Covid-control measures, including wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and sanitising their hands frequently, while indulging in their New Year merriment,” Pall said.
Vanan said that some people have become complacent and are not complying with the safety measures, especially in crowded areas, which is an alarming trend given how the district is still getting fresh cases almost every day.
As of Thursday morning, the district recorded 40 new cases. So far, East Singhbhum has reported 17,545 cases, including 16,963 recoveries and 374 deaths.