Coronavirus in Delhi: Random testing camps at bus stop, railway station increase number of samples

As the number of Coronavirus cases go up in the national capital, the Covid-19 testing is also being ramped up to trace, contact and isolate the patients of Coronavirus and reduce the spread of the disease. Everyday regular tests are also being conducted at Inter-state bus terminals (ISBT) as well as Railway stations. A total of 2 doctors, 17 lab technicians and a posse of about 45 civil defense volunteers reach Anand Vihar Bus Terminal and Railway Station to conduct random tests of passengers. About 1800 samples are to be collected cumulatively by this team in two shifts-one in morning between 9 am to 12 pm and one in the afternoon between 2 pm and 4 pm.

Manish Khera who is the in-charge of the camp told the Indian Express that the camp has been involved in testing passengers at Anand Vihar Bus Stop and Railway Station since last September. Khera further said that the number of tests which are to be conducted has risen in recent days to increase of Covid-19 infection in the city. In comparison to a daily target of testing about 1000 samples, in recent days the team has been given the mandate to conduct at least 1800 tests in a day.

Acknowledging that it is beneficial to test more passengers coming from states which are worst affected by Coronavirus like Maharashtra and Punjab, Khera however said that it is not practically possible to keep an eye on passengers from particular states. He further said that the team tests passengers coming from all states and encourages people to come forward for testing on their own.

Civil defence volunteer Sumair Khan who is part of the Ananda Vihar testing camp team told the Indian Express that passengers are not forced to get tested and they are rather encouraged to get tested. The members of the camp further said that the most passengers getting tested are from the state of Uttar Pradesh. Passengers who are randomly tested are asked by the volunteers to register their contact number through which they could be later informed of their test report. In case the passengers do not have a smartphone, they are encouraged to provide contact numbers of their relatives or family members who can check the result later.