Commissioner of Mangaluru City Corporation Akshy Sridhar has said that the Health Department should conduct more throat and nasal swab sample tests in the jurisdiction of the corporation to prevent a second wave of COVID-19.
Speaking at a meeting with Health Department officials in the corporation’s office on Saturday, he said that COVID-19 cases have risen in neighbouring Kerala. Hence, the department should get those people entering the city from Kasaragod and other border districts tested compulsorily. It will help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 is likely to spread in market areas, during jatras and other public festivals and in the Bunder area. Hence, traders in those areas should be tested as a precaution.
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Preliminary preparations are being made for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine in the city when it is made available from the government.
It will be distributed on priority, and on availability.
Dakshina Kannada District Health and Family Welfare Officer Ramachandra Bairy said that district-level, city-level and taluk-level task forces have been constituted for the distribution of the vaccine.
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They will be distributed in three phases based on priority.
It will also be administered to those who have registered seeking vaccine.
He said that the Pulse Polio drive will be taken up in the district on January 17, 2021. Each booth will have four staff members to administer the drops to children aged up to five.