Govt officials on field request for proper equipment

NEW DELHI: Government officials on ground have been asked to conduct surveys in green and orange zones and make an area wise list, according to sources on ground. However, this has left them vulnerable with no safety gear and a temperature machine to make proper data.

From Chief Election Officers to workers in State Health Ministry, are on ground going from house-to-house. A CEO in Dwarka was visiting every area, especially those that had an elder population.

"This is the third time that I have come to do the survey. We are asked to visit every house and make a data based list. However, this keeps us in vulnerable position," the officer told the correspondent.

According to the officer, they are interacting with members, with precautionary measures. "But there is no way to detect the temperature of such people. This is keeping us in vulnerable position, for we are interacting with so many people," said the officer. Another officer who is almost 60 said that it is difficult for him to work. "At the back of my mind, I am thinking what if I catch it. There is no proper way of knowing that the people we are interacting with are positive or not," he added.

The officials have a set of questions for the senior citizens. "If they have any health issue, we ask them questions about it," said the official. They are constantly reminded to stay in their homes as well.

Meanwhile, the state health department visits the buzzer zones to take surveys of the families.

"The buffer zone is the area that is within 250 metre of a red zone. Our work is to visit families in these areas and check if they have any symptoms," she said. This keeps them exposed as there are no safety gears. "Only those in red zones are given PPEs," said the medical officer.

Delhi has 11 districts, where the data will be used to determine which area has the highest number of cases.