As e-pass norms ease, vigilance up

As e-pass norms ease, vigilance up

16/08/2020

Staff Reporter

Madurai

Vigilance, monitoring and healthcare facilities will be ramped up in the district, in light of the State Government's announcement granting easier access to e-passes from August 17, said senior officials of the district administration.

District Monitoring Officer B. Chandramohan, said that officials of the health department and the district administration took part in a review meeting on Friday and they discussed the drop in COVID-19 cases and a plan to ensure sustained low positive numbers over the next two weeks. Collector T. G. Vinay said that they will be strengthening district borders at Kottampatti, Vadipatti and Kadavur and screening all those with symptoms.

“Since we will be approving the e-passes the previous day, we will have an approximate idea of the total number of people travelling into the district. We can station as many teams in these checkposts based on the previous day's data,” he said.

A source from the district administration said that currently, they receive close to 3,000 e-pass applications every day and approve roughly 34% of them.

The Collector added that they will continue to intensify fever clinics and encourage those even with cough and cold symptoms to regularly visit the clinics for testing. “We have found that masking and maintaining physical distance is important in containing the spread,” he said.

Deputy Director, Health department, Priya Raj, said that teams will be present at district borders for swab collection. Test results for them will be available within 12 hours, she added.