As virus spills into villages, dist admn forms special teams to keep it at bay

Our Correspondent

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Hoshiarpur, May 17

In order to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission, motivating general masses towards vaccination and keep a close vigil on health problems in villages, the district administration on Monday constituted five-member teams for respective areas to ensure effective implementation of Covid guidelines.

Led by a supervisor, these teams will work directly under the supervision of concerned SDMs and DSPs with a sole purpose to involve maximum people in fight against the deadly virus. Besides a supervisor, these teams will be comprised of executive officers/booth-level officers, Asha workers, who will visit their respective villages to take stock of situation on daily basis with the help of panchayats and sarpanches youth clubs, members of social and religious bodies.

Disclosing this, Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait said it is high time to focus on rural areas with rising number of infection by taking to ‘Mission Fateh’ to the grassroots level to effectively contain further spread. All the villages will be covered by the said teams by ensuring vaccination of all eligible beneficiaries, proper adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour at villages especially wearing of masks and follow gathering instructions. These teams will disseminate the message of requisite health safety protocols by distributing printed material to villagers, said the DC, adding that villagers would also be apprised about different helplines launched by the administration to provide information of availability of beds, oxygen and any other emergency services.

Asha workers to have kits

Apneet Riyait informed that the Asha workers will carry Covid care kits and in case of any exigency they can provide the facility to the needy patients.

Also, sarpanches and social/religious bodies will encourage vaccination in different areas. The DC said the teams would liaison with sarpanches, panchayats and representatives of social and religious bodies for special vaccination camps. She said the administration had four mobile vaccination vans, which would be sent to different villages for vaccination. “Teams can carry out vaccination at four-five villages in a day,” she said, adding that residents of rural areas should beware of rumour mongering related to vaccination, etc.

Riyait further said the teams would update daily details of cases, vaccination, sampling and deaths.

Meanwhile, SSP Navjot Singh Mahal pointed out that there should be no gatherings violating the guidelines beside the police teams would further encourage people to wear masks and avoid roaming outdoors without any valid reasons. Along with ‘thikri pehras’, the SSP said youth clubs active in rural areas could be involved in the campaign ‘Mission Fateh’ to save precious lives. “Breaking transmission chain is call of the day,” said Mahal, adding coordinated efforts can pave a way to tackle the virus efficaciously so the village representatives should also come forward.