A door-to-door health survey being conducted by the 400-odd teams comprising civic staff and health department of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is in full swing and officials say that 90% of the survey is complete.
The survey has been taken up to check the health conditions of the public in the wake of the coronavirus scare, here in GVMC limits. The teams are focussing on finding out if any denizens have come from abroad in the last couple of weeks and have not undergone screening.
Officials said that given a target to conduct survey in about 4.5 lakh houses, the teams have already finished nearly 90% of the survey and are yet to visit a few more wards in the next couple of days.
“The team members include ward volunteers, staff from health department, ASHA worker or ANM. They inquire about the health condition of the family and check whether any one is suffering from cold, cough and fever. If they find any person with symptoms of COVID-19, they would make a note in online in the tab given to them. This would alert the GVMC and health department to take precautionary measures,” said Chief Medical Officer (Health), GVMC, K.S.L.G Sastry.
According to Mr Sastry, the teams have been specifically checking if any person who has returned from a foreign trip is showing any symptoms. He said that those exhibiting after noticing the symptoms, the medical teams are shifting them to isolation.
“The main intention of the survey to check public health and also create awareness over the precautionary measures to be taken. The teams have been demonstrating the correct procedure to clean one’s hands and other measures to be taken across all households,” he said.
The sanitary staff have also been instructed to conduct spraying activities regularly in all wards.
10 helpdesks put up
The GVMC has arranged COVID-19 help desks at 10 various places in the city including at the APSRTC Complex, railway station, YMCA road, and Maddilapalem Bus Stop. The civic staff have facilitated hand sanitisers at the helpdesks and are asking the public to clean their hands regularly.
As a precautionary measure, the GVMC has appealed public to refrain from going to gyms, swimming pools, theatres and other public places as far as possible to prevent the likelihoodof an outbreak.
“Though the government has not given us any instructions regarding these establishments, it is better if the public takes a step on their own. The hotel managements have also been asked to take extra precautions while serving customers,” said a GVMC official.
