‘Follow COVID-19 guidelines strictly to prevent further community spread’: Hailakandi administration

July 11: With spike in number of COVID-19 positive cases, the Hailakandi district administration has asked the people to strictly adhere to the guidelines to arrest the further spread of the disease. The administration has been repeatedly appealing to the people to follow the COVID-19 protocols and to wear masks or face cover, maintain social distancing and personal hygiene to contain the disease.

Using all modes of communication such as social media, digital and mass media and even through fixed loud speaker and mobile miking, the administration has been sensitising the people on the paramount importance to follow all the guidelines issued by the government keeping in view the gravity of the situation. Following increase in number of coronavirus cases in the community – 31 as on Friday – the administration has brought more areas under containment, buffer zones to prevent the highly contagious disease from spreading to newer areas.

Deputy Commissioner, Megh Nidhi Dahal, who is constantly monitoring the situation, has issued an order asking the people as well as employees who have given swab for testing not to step out of their homes till the swab results are out. The administration has urged the people under containment zones not to venture out under any circumstances and warned that punitive action would be taken against those violating the order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other sections of IPC.

In the wake of identification of COVID-19 cases in the community, the administration has urged the people who feel that they have come in contact with COVID-19 positive or suspected persons with symptoms to come forward voluntarily and to get their swab tested for their own good, their family members and for the greater interest of the society. For this purpose the administration has opened a camp at Nazrul Sadan premises where a team of health personnel is conducting nasal and throat swab daily.

Through Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology, Deputy Commissioner, Dahal is sending messages to people discharged from facility quarantine centres to home quarantine to observe the quarantine rules strictly.
A 24×7 DDMA control room is functioning to monitor the situation and to address the issues and concerns of the people. As a step towards preventing assembling of people in the wake of detection of COVID-19 cases in the community, the administration has closed haat or weekly bazaars and evening bazaars until further orders. The administration has shut down several shops in municipal areas for flouting government guidelines. Apart from this, it has also closed salons and parlours where the risks of getting infected are more with no room for physical distancing. It may be mentioned that a barber was detected COVID-19 positive forcing the administration to shut down salons and parlours and directing the workers to go for swab test.

With incoming of people almost everyday the administration has ramped up the health infrastructure. Three COVID-19 Hospitals have come up with a bed strength of over 150. Another newly renovated COVID-19 Care Centre has been set up at the Hindustan Paper Corporation’s hospital and guest house with a bed capacity of 25-30. Buildings, both government and private, as well as educational institutions are being identified for accommodating people arriving from outside. Close to 6,000 persons have arrived in the district since May 13.