COVID-19: 13,000 Teams To Screen Entire Delhi Population, Alert Authorities About Suspected Cases

The Delhi government has formed over 13000 teams to thoroughly screen the population in the national capital. The teams will also alert the respective authorities about suspected cases.

Multi-sectoral in nature, "Corona foot warriors Containment and Surveillance Teams" will be headed by Booth Level Officers of the state election office. Moreover, each team is expected to have one civil defence volunteer, including an MCD sanitation worker, ASHA/Anganwadi worker, and Delhi Police beat constable.

They shall do foot patrolling daily to identify the people with the coronavirus symptoms if any. In case any suspected case is identified, they would carry out the protocol already shared for a suspect which includes quarantine, testing, tie-up with doctors etc.

Further, the team will also make telephonic calls to households in their particular jurisdictions to know about the well-being of citizens, availability of essential items with them, and urge people to ensure social distancing as well as wear masks whenever they step outside.

According to Indian Express, on Monday, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev instructed to form the teams under provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The eleven district magistrates of the city have been assigned to start the process of creating the teams "immediately," which will have a maximum five members each.

The teams are also expected to assist the suspects and patients by ferrying them to quarantine and isolation centres and transporting to medical facilities with due diligence, respectively.

As of now, such screening exercises, apart from testing, have been practised in containment zones with an over 45 clusters where at least three positive cases have been found— confirmed by the Delhi government. The screening exercise will be expanded from pillar to posts by the teams.

IAS officer Sanjay Goel will oversee the work of three teams every evening, by 6 pm, and they will have to submit reports on several houses visited, a number of suspected cases noted, notices served for violating the norms of wearing masks and social distancing.

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