Panaji: Indian Medical Association’s Goa unit has given its mixed reaction over the eight COVID-19 positive cases detected in the state.
IMA President Dr S Samuel, in a statement released, has said that there are two facts came to our notice from yesterday’s news of 7 new covid positive patients in Green Goa .
“One good thing is that legally people coming in Goa are properly screened , tested and quarantined so even if they turned out to be positive the spread is well contained,” he said.
“Second one which is disturbing ,is that truck driver had to become symptomatic before he could be detected as covid positive and this is most dangerous for the Society as he may have come to Goa at least 24 to 48 hrs prior and no authorities have controll on his movements.”
Samuel said that IMA Goa has following suggestions to Government on this issue.
“All essential service transport drivers and accompanying men should be tested by nasopharyngeal swab at the respective borders irrespective of they have any upper respiratory symptoms or fever and allowed entry into the state and he be told to be discreat in his movement in the state till he is communicated by authorities about his swab test result.”
“Once report comes and by chance if he is reported positive authorities could trace him easily and limit the spread by immediate tracking and containment as per protocol.”
“It will help the state in proper containment of this covid pandemic and continue testing the regular people coming legally and quarantining them as per test result,” he said.
“We know that as per Guidelines of MHA(Ministry of Home Affairs) drivers and accompanying staff of essential supplies transport should not be tested.
It was meant for smooth flows of essential supplies. By our method we are in no way hampering flow of supplies but also keep our Goa state safe by fast containment.”
“In case testing facilities are inadequate than pooling of swabs of quarantine people and performing RT-PCR test will help in increasing no of test done( as per guidelines of ICMR).”
