Corpn struggles as residents crowd screening, vax centres

Corpn struggles as residents crowd screening, vax centres

18 Centres In Pipeline, May Not Be Enough

Komal.gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:28.04.2021 

The steep rise in Covid-19 cases is sending residents flocking to screening centres and vaccination centres where corporation officials say they are unable to control the crowds.

The corporation commissioner had said the waiting time at screening centres should not be more than 45 minutes, but many say they wait 2-5 hours. Even the 18 centres the corporations plans to add may not be enough considering these numbers.

It takes about 30 minutes to evaluate each patient and with just one X ray machine and two doctors, each centre can cater to only 100 a day. An official said at least five screening centres should be added in each zone.

Even special vaccination camps held at schools have become crowded. Only 200 tokens are given per day but more than 500 are visiting, said an official.

In Kodambakkam, the camp at a school was so overcrowded on Monday that the corporation refrained from putting the list of camps on social media the next day. At a centre in suburban Chromepet, an elderly man registered for a dose but went back when he got to know Covishield wasn’t available. However, when he reached home, he got a message saying he had been administered Covaxin. “The person at the registration desk and the person the vaccine are different, but such errors cannot be accepted,” said the man who didn’t want to be identified.

A doctor at a UPHC said the problem was lack of manpower and complacency in implementing measures. “Last year, we had many volunteers and almost every positive case was traced the next day. All cases were taken to screening centre by officials themselves. Now, positive patients are walking into hospitals, UPHCs, screening centres and forming new clusters.”

Walk-in testing centres and crowds at screening centres are increasing the transmission rate. R Murugan, a resident, said containment strategies have not been implemented properly. “There are 315 streets with more than 10 cases and 895 with more than 6 cases on April 26. But positive patients are roaming the streets.” Rakesh of Royapuram said he didn’t know who to approach. “At Valasaravakkam, many positive patients were going to ATMs and medical shops,” he said.

LONG WAIT: People wait to get vaccinated for Covid-19 outside Government Medical College, Omandurar Estate