Gurugram adopts mass screening process
Gurugram: Taking cognisance of the challenges involved in mass testing, the officials of Gurugram have adopted mass screening process to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
The process of screening has been largely successful in neighbouring Nuh where the number of COVID-19 had shot up to 57 thereby making it the district having the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Haryana.
The screening process that was adopted in Nuh has shown a huge success as no new case has been reported in the district for last 10 days. Moreover, there have been 44 recoveries and now the active cases in the district is only 13.
With a 2.5 million residents, challenges for mass screening in Gurugram as compared to Nuh are larger. To deal with this difficulty, the district administration increased the number of containment zones to 24 from six earlier. There are over one lakh households that are spread in these sealed areas. Over 500 health workers are daily going to these houses and surveying the family members examining whether they are showing the symptoms.
According to district health officials, one health official is covering at least 50 houses. With large number of COVID-19 patients being asymptomatic, a condition when a person do not show any symptoms of the disease even though they have contracted the virus, the difficulty of the health workers have also increased.
According to health officials, heath workers have been directed to survey each memmer at least for a week so that if there are any symptoms they can be taken to the quarantining facilities at the earliest. There have been over 10,700 persons who have been kept under surveillance.
The complexities involved in the entire process have resulted in more adverse effects towards the health workers. In Faridabad and Nuh, violence against workers and police officials has been reported. In Gurugram, there have been complaints that most of the health workers are not adopting the right procedures to screen the residents in the sealed areas.
"There is no doubt that mass screening is a long and difficult process and taking note of the fact that large number of COVID-19 patients is asymptomatic, the challenges increase. The residents should show patience and cooperate with the health workers," said a senior official from the Gurugram Health Department.
