Vizag admin told to gear up for influx of returnees

Visakhapatnam: The admininstration of Visakhapatnam district is getting prepared to ramp up its Covid-19 testing as thousands of people are expected to return from other states and countries in the next two months. Collector Vinay Chand has directed the officials to conduct coronavirus tests as per central government instructions. 

On Friday morning, the collector held a meeting with Covid control committees in the district and told theme hundreds passengers will begin arriving in the city on domestic and international flights from June 1. Many persons of them would be returning from high-risk states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Plus, there are passengers and guest workers travelling in buses and trains. Similarly, some would reach the city through the port.

"All passengers who come to the city have to undergo screening, pulse oximeter and physical tests as per protocol. International passengers must be kept in quarantine centres. Every single passenger's details and mobile number must be collected. We have to arrange mobile toilets and drinking water facility available at the centres set up for testing travellers," the collector said. 

"Elderly people, pregnant women, children under 10 years and persons suffering from long-term diseases shall be sent to home quarantine," he added.

The meeting was attended by joint collectors Venugopal Reddy, Arun Babu, Committee mentors and other district officials.