Punitive measure: Rapid antigen test for those not wearing amasks in public places

BALURGHAT: In order to fight the pandemic effectively, the use of masks have been made mandatory. District administration, in this regard, has taken a decision to impose Rapid Antigen Test compulsory for those people who will not wear masks in market places.

Initially the decision has taken to implement the new rule in the three civic areas of Balurghat, Gangarampur and Buniadpur.

"In market places particularly in civic areas, there will be a new mode of punitive action to be taken against those who do not wear masks. They will have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test," said an official.

According to him, the decision was taken recently at a District Task Force meeting in Balurghat to review the overall Covid situation of the district in presence of District Magistrate Nikhil Nirmal.

Apart from this, few steps were also taken in the meeting. Now, the target has been set to conduct 1,000 tests/day in place of 300 tests/day. There will be a feedback form given to the patients at the time of discharge where they can write about their suggestions or grievances. The patients having no mobile phone, will be given a mobile phone to call their relatives/friends everyday or receive calls from them during a decided time frame.

Regular counselling at Safe Homes is conducted on a regular basis by the clinical counsellors and the quality of food served there is also properly checked by Food Safety Officers regularly. Moreover, regular calls are made from District helpline number to all those who are in home isolation to inquire about their health and grievances.

It is learnt that the total number of tests has crossed 50,000-mark so far and the positivity rate has declined from 32 per cent to 13 per cent.

Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) was conducted among 22,322 people in August. Of them, only 503 positive cases were detected.

Notably the district administration has also announced the names of broad-based containment zones in a revised form. A part of Balurghat, Buniadpur and Gangarampur civic areas along with four areas from Tapan and nine areas from Gangarampur have been included in the said category.