Containment zones: Dist admin & police take measures to identify Covid hotspots

KOLKATA: At a time when the state government has asked district authorities to identify local Covid hotspots as 'containment or micro-containment zones', district administrations along with police have already started taking necessary measures to identify hotspots and ensure strong surveillance there.

As per the state government's directives, the district authorities have to analyze daily Covid related data to find out the local hotspots. The hotspots are the areas from where the maximum number of Covid cases is being reported. Such spots can also be identified as "pockets of high incidence".

District authorities also have to carry out early testing, tracing and tracking of suspected cases in these areas for better clinical management and meetings with relevant stakeholders must be held on a regular basis. It needs mention that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also suggested a similar arrangement to further contain the spread of Covid cases.

The number of cases has gone down with the state government imposing strict restrictions across the state on May 16. There were 19,117 new cases and 147 fatalities on the day when safety restrictions were imposed. The number of new cases recorded on Tuesday dropped to 3,268 with 75 deaths.

This comes when the state government has already ensured vaccination to around 2 crore people. Following the direction of the Chief Minister, a drive has also been initiated to provide vaccines to 80,000 people involved in the hospitality sector. Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) has taken the initiative with support of the state government. So far, 5,000 employees have been vaccinated .This comes when the state government has allowed reopening of restaurants and bars in the state from 12 noon to 8 pm with 50 percent sitting capacity. Sudesh Poddar, honorary secretary of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India, said: "We are happy with the decision of the Chief Minister. The vaccination is also going on in full swing".

Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate during the Assembly elections was 20 to 22 per cent. The same went up to 32 per cent during the last phase of the polls.