VIJAYAWADA: On the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, officials have initiated measures to collect COVID-19 test samples at the PHC level in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and Chittoor districts on a pilot basis. During a review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on Saturday, officials said field-level testing for COVID-19 will commence with the pilot project and later will be implemented in all the districts. They were instructed to provide testing facilities for the public through toll-free numbers 104, 14410, and 1902.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for tackling the COVID-19 crisis in the State in a realistic manner and directed the Health Department to prepare the hospitals in the State and position the needed staff in them to effectively contain the spread of coronavirus. He asked the officials to ensure that there is no shortage of staff in the hospitals. “Identify the vacancies and fill every vacant post of health professionals. Expedite the recruitment,” he instructed the officials. He observed that only with sufficient staff, a pandemic like a coronavirus can be handled effectively.
Officials were also instructed to increase the isolation wards and medical facilities in the COVID hospitals and revamp the control measures as the public transportation through Railways and airlines are going to be resumed shortly. Jagan also directed the officials to develop a door-level reporting structure and standard operating procedure to be followed by the public while availing tests or reporting the symptoms and to make sure that the public voluntarily turns up for getting tested.
“Coronavirus cannot be eliminated and we have to accept the reality and get used to living with it by taking adequate precautions to prevent the infection. Despite the numerous measures taken, the reality is that we can’t really contain the virus. People should be made aware that getting infected by coronavirus is not a sin or crime,” he said. Officials said strength in COVID hospitals in eight districts — Anantapur, Kurnool, Chittoor, Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari and Visakhapatnam — would be increased along with other facilities.
All air travellers to be tested
Under the precautionary and preventive measures, all the passengers travelling by airways are going to be tested upon reaching the airport and followed by home quarantine. Additionally, the Chief Minister told officials to conduct tests for those who are in the high-risk category (aged above 60) and emphasised the need to creating awareness among the public.
What CM says
Provide testing facilities for the public through toll-free numbers 104, 14410, and 1902
Fill all vacant post in hospitals
Increase isolation wards and medical facilities in COVID hospitals and revamp control measures
Develop a door-level reporting structure and SOP to be followed by public while availing tests or reporting the symptoms
One-year-old Nandyal boy beats corona
Kurnool: A one-year-old boy, who tested positive for coronavirus, was discharged from Kurnool Government General Hospital on Saturday after both his tests results returned negative. The boy, hails from Nandyal, got infected from his father. The boy’s father, a secondary contact of a Delhi-returneee, was recently discharged from Nandyal Hospital. The boy was shifted Kurnool GGH on May 7, and tested positive for coronavirus. He was treated in an isolation ward for 14 days. “He never showed signs of fear even when he was placed in isolation and cooperated with the doctors,” said district Covid nodal officer Dr Narasimhulu, who also treated the boy at Kurnool GGH.