Some local bodies in Kozhikode are found to be holding mega COVID-19 testing camps to reduce the daily test positivity rate (TPR) that will eventually lead to relaxing of the restrictions in force now.
According to sources, the local body authorities are now reportedly insisting on COVID-negative certificate for people to open shops and other business firms. The staff and owners will also have to show the certificate to sectoral magistrates, if needed. The norm is also applicable to autorickshaw drivers and migrant labourers. Those who have got both doses of the vaccine need not go for the tests, but produce the vaccination certificate alone.
A majority of local bodies in Kozhikode district are in the ‘B’ category, where the TPR is between 8% and 19%. A semi-lockdown is in force in these places and offices and shops, excluding those selling essential stuff, are allowed to open only three days a week.
This, however, has not gone down well with another section of officials, who feel that holding tests on unsuspected persons on a large scale will burn a hole in the pocket of cash-strapped local bodies. Crowds outside such testing centres could lead to spreading of the infection as well, they say.
Some other officials cite the new guidelines recently issued for increasing testing, based on average TPR over a week. If the rate is over 30%, the number of tests should be 10 times that of the total cases reported there in the past three days. If the TPR is 20%, the tests would be six times that of the total cases in three days. If the rate is between 2% and 20%, it would be thrice the total number of cases in the past three days.
