Testing people with respiratory illness can help

Can random tests & harsher measures stop spread of covid ?

Start community testing

During this hour of crisis, Chandigarh, which bears the tag of City Beautiful, must act smartly. Taking a cue from the situation, the authorities must go for random Covid-19 testing and take harsher measures, including community testing, to contain further spread of the epidemic in the city and adjoining areas.

Naveen Gupta, Chandigarh

Testing should be intensified

The rise in number of Covid-19 cases in the tricity is not a positive sign for residents. The authorities concerned of the tricity must enforce strict lockdown measures and social distancing norms along with no movement of people as curfew has already been imposed till May 3. Also, contacts of all infected persons should be traced and tested for the virus. Besides, rapid and random testing should also be conducted door-to-door in the tricity to identify infected persons.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Take sincere steps to contain Covid-19

The tricity authorities should take sincere steps to check the spread of coronavirus in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. No one should violate social distancing norms and move out without wearing a mask. Random testing of tricity residents for the virus must strictly be done and action taken accordingly to contain the spread epidemic.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

Testing at doorsteps

In view of the lockdown, testing of all residents in areas declared red zone should be done at doorsteps on a war footing. Instead of taking harsh measures, which inconvenience public at large stress must be laid on Covid testing. People should be educated to maintain safe distance and wear masks while going out of houses.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

Harsher measures can check coronavirus

The standard quarantine period is 14 days. We have been indoors for more than 27 days. Further lockdown would affect livelihood of many, turn all persons above 50 years diabetic, cause depression among 90% people and make children frustrated. Hence, some relaxations are required. Harsher measures should be applied on those, who carry the virus and hide their travel/contact history. Fine should be imposed on such persons. Not random but extensive testing should be done in the vicinity of the infected person.

AK Sharma, Panchkula

Update infra to tackle untoward situation

The day-by-day increase in numbers of Covid cases in Chandigarh and adjoining cities is a matter of concern. Thinking of respite in near future is self-deceiving. Therefore, before heading towards random tests, the authorities concerned should update infrastructure to meet any untoward situation. Nevertheless, we should also be hopeful that the rising temperature might control the spread of disease or the potency of coronavirus.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

Wrong criteria used for classification

Only persons, who are at present Covid-positive, should be taken into consideration and not the total number of coronavirus cases for classification of an area as hotspot. Again, particular area of the UT where there are more Covid-positive cases, should be declared as containment zone and not the whole city. Declaration of Chandigarh as hotspot by the Central Government and containment zone by the UT Administration will only increase panic and hardships of the general public in the City Beautiful.

Amardeep Singh, Chandigarh

Random testing, harsher measures should be taken

The authorities are doing great job. I would like to applaud them for their efforts. Since Chandigarh has been declared as hotspot, I think the decision to take strict actions is must after all its for the welfare of society. Random testing will make residents more concerned and serious about the problem. It will also help in finding more Covid-positive patients and reduce its chance of spreading.

Simran Gaur, Chandigarh

All residents must stay indoors

Yes, for sure there is an urgency for random testing and harsher measures to check the spread of the virus. Nobody should be allowed to come out of homes in the containment zone. The strict implementation of curfew/lockdown is the need of the hour. Complete sealing of the area, which has even one case, is also must. Isolation and social distancing are the only weapons, which can kill the virus. As responsible citizens, we must follow guidelines in letter and spirit so that our country can get rid of the deadly Covid-19.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

Testing top priority for tricity

In the fight against Covid pandemic, policymakers are waging a war blindly because they do not know the extent of infection in society. Response to this crisis depends on figuring how fast the disease is spreading outside hospitals and in community. So, the need of the hour is to prioritise testing of individuals, who have severe symptoms and show up at hospitals.

Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

Introduce self-testing kits to control spread of virus

Covid-19 has created health emergency and financial crisis. It could not have come at worst time for India, already in the middle of slowdown. It is a long haul with great sadness no buffer to carry loads. Virus is spreading at fast pace with greater challenges. There is need for testing kits so that people themselves can test for virus, isolate themselves and take medical help. Use of cycles rather than public transport can slow down the spread of deadly virus. People must be taught to cope with difficult situation in a better way.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Norms warrant a revolutionary shift

The blame for lapses leading to declaration of Chandigarh as a containment zone lies squarely on overconfidence and casual approach in comprehending the gravity/nature of pandemic. Sacrifices of the government and the people are negated when regulations are flouted with impunity. Everyone has to be a vigilant warrior to arrest further spread of the disease. Anyone venturing on roads must undergo thermal screening. Monitor asymptomatic persons and subject them to intensive testing where needed. It’s time for revolutionary shift in attitudinal, behavioral and working norms during and post Covid-19 era.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Pay heed to subtle alarm

If the increase in Covid cases in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula is any indication we must pay heed to the subtle alarm and gird up our loins to face the abominable crisis. Declaring the area ‘Containment Zone’ is not enough unless the tricity authorities follow it up by a concerted operation of random testing and harsher measures. Stalls for random testing should be set up over several smaller areas. Harsher measures should entail imprisonment and/or heavy fines.

DR SS Bhatti, Chandigarh

Consider tricity as one unit

For all practical purposes Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula should be considered as one unit not only for this pandemic, but for all law and order and other health-related concerns. None of these can be considered in isolation though forming part of different states. Every person has to be tested for Covid-19. Only one agency, preferably resident welfare associations (RWAs), should ensure total sealing of their respective areas. Too many agencies dilute efforts. RWAs should also report suspected cases to the authorities concerned. Harsher but not physically harsher methods are necessary with persuasion or disciplinary action. People are aware that Covid-19 is a threat to human race. Every citizen should stand as a devoted soldier to defend himself and the mankind. It is the question of our survival.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Deploy more manpower, health teams

The key to stop the spread of Covid-19 pandemic is only conducting tests on citizens. The government is announcing from rooftops that Covid-19 positive cases have become linear and not exponential, indicating a flattening of the country’s positive rate. The data may suggest control over pandemic, but the ground realities are different. Chandigarh has a population of approx 12 lakh. At 1.5 times the national testing average per day, which is 500 tests per day, the UT Administration requires 2,400 days to test all residents of the city. This translates to over six-and-a-half years of testing. The government is playing a joke with the lives of citizens. It should accept the hard reality and deploy more manpower and teams to paint the true picture of the Covid-19 pandemic. The mere fact that today we are in a much better position than most developed nations, like the USA and China, is no consolation. It is sheer luck.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain,Chandigarh

Tricity must fight battle together

Most people working and contributing to economic growth of Chandigarh live in Mohali and Panchkula. As such, the tricity must fight this invisible enemy together. So is the treatment. There should not be any restrictions at hospitals for treatment of Covid patients from outside Chandigarh as medical facilities are better in capital city than states, which have higher mortality rate. The Administration should identify people suffering from deadly virus through rapid testing. There is a need for gradual opening up the economy. This is the right time to re-carpet bad roads.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

Use media to create awareness

To ameliorate the condition of the tricity, the authorities concerned will have to make concerted efforts to create awareness among people about deadly virus through media during the lockdown. It is wise to create a healthy and hygienic atmosphere as coronavirus can only be prevented not cured. Only preventive measures can build up stamina and immunity.

Anita Tandon, Chandiagrh

Door-to-door screening

Despite country-wide lockdown the number of Covid cases are still going north. Public has follow the lockdown protocol and desist from violations. As asymptomatic cases are also appearing, the civic authorities should not only resort to random checks, but also undertake door-to-door screening. The situation is still worrisome. More stringent measures, including extension of lockdown upto May 15, are needed to effectively combat the spread of virus.

SS Arora, Mohali

Find asymptomatic cases in tricity

In order to prevent community transmission of Covid-19 and come out from the containment zone, the focus of the tricity authorities should be on finding asymptomatic cases through random medical examination of residents by expert medical professionals. As tricity residents are educated, conducting tests on them will not be difficult. This will help control dangerous phase of the disease.

Capt Jagdish Verma ( retd), Chandigarh

All citizens need must be screened

It is not possible to find out Covid-19 patients without conducting any test. To find residents suffering from the disease the Administration should form screening committees comprising volunteers, RWAs, NGOs and health personnel to conduct door-to-door survey in the tricity. Team members should maintain record of names, mobile numbers, including travel history and addresses, of the surveyed persons and their health condition. The tricity Administration needs to emulate Bhilwara where 28 lakh people were screened, which helped in containing the virus.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Don’t go for random testing

With rising Covid cases in the city, easing curfew for a longer time than usual is not a good idea. Lockdown violations should be checked with an iron hand. People, who are in self-isolation, should be quarantined properly. No one must run away from isolation wards. The authorities should not go in for random testing in the city as we have limited resources. They should set up more isolation wards and buy ventilators.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

QUESTION

With Covid-19 cases rising in the tricity, there seems no certainty when educational institutes will reopen. While online classes are on for various courses, do you think it will affect the overall quality of education?

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