The district administration has strengthened vigil at Kerala border following a spike in COVID-19 cases in the State and Palakkad reporting a few Delta variant cases, Collector G.S. Sameeran told The Hindu.
“We have strengthened vigil at all the 14 entry points. Of the 14, the teams at four important points such as Walayar are armed with thermal guns.” The administration has also shared with the local body concerned the contact details of those entering with e-pass for follow-up action. The volunteers from the local body concerned would call on the visitors for a few days after their arrival to check if they showed COVID-19 symptoms, Dr. Sameeran said.
As for tracking people shuttling everyday between Coimbatore and Kerala, the administration had asked them to compulsorily take e-pass so that the administration could trace them, if required.
On an average, the Walayar check-post alone saw 1,400 vehicles entering Coimbatore. At other places it was fewer.
With Kerala also reporting Zika virus, the administration has asked all the local bodies to carry out source reduction exercise as it was vector-borne.
With Coimbatore experiencing intermittent rains, it was all the more imperative that the local bodies destroy all mosquito breeding sources and the instruction applied to not only those local bodies that bordered Kerala but every local body in the district, the Collector said.
e-pass mandatory
Dr. Sameeran said in a release issued later in the day that e-pass was mandatory for those entering the district from Kerala. This included people who went to Kerala on a daily basis and returned home in the district.
Those entering the district could apply for e-pass at https://eregister.tngea.org.
He further said that the e-pass rule applied to individuals, two-wheeler riders, three and four wheeler drivers and passengers.
After reaching the district, if they experienced COVID-19-like symptoms, they could dial 1077, he added.
