Determined to stem the rise in COVID-19 cases, the BBMP is ramping up testing, improving contact tracing and expanding the vaccination drive. These are three pillars of a renewed action plan to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 in the city, said officials.
Mobile COVID-19 testing labs, equipped to conduct both RAT and RT-PCR tests, will soon be deployed at all prominent crowded places, such as markets, malls, and bus and railway stations, to conduct random tests. The civic body will also issue guidelines for tie-ups with residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), apartment associations, educational institutions and even marriage venues to conduct random tests.
The new revised guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday has set a target of 40,000 RT-PCR tests per day for Bengaluru Urban district in the light of the rise in cases. Data shows that tests per day, which was in the range of 25,000-30,000 in February last week, has been ramped up to the range of 35,000-40,000 since March 1.
“Over and above the target set by the MoHFW, we have decided to target at least 50,000 tests per day. At the peak of the pandemic last year, the city had crossed 60,000 tests per day. So we have the capacity to conduct 50,000 tests a day. Random testing at crowded places will help us find more cases,” said civic Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad.
The BBMP is worried that the city may be at the cusp of a second wave if the spread of the virus is not controlled immediately. “However, the test positivity rate today is nothing compared to the beginning of the peak last year,” said a civic health official, who was quick to add that this should not breed complacency.
Mr. Prasad, on Friday, had directed officials to trace at least 15 contacts for every positive case and that the process must be completed within 48 hours after the positive report, for better results.
ASHA workers and other health officials will be roped in to conduct a survey of senior citizens and those with co-morbidities in slums and other lower income pockets, for whom online registration is not feasible. “We do not have an option of conducting vaccination camps in these areas, like testing camps. These people will be convinced and mobilised to the nearest vaccination site, on a priority basis,” Mr. Prasad said.