Sero survey a must for finding infected persons

Open house: Should UT conduct survey to check covid-19 exposure & frame policies on handling pandemic

Good option if resources adequate

Decreasing the testing rate is nowhere close to effectively handling the pandemic. If residents are not keen to come to health centres, then changing policies is must. If resources are adequate in terms of healthcare providers and enough testing kits are available, then sero survey and door-to-door testing in micro-containment zones seem to be a good option. Also, we can devise our own model of testing using high throughput techniques like pooled RT-PCR. Smart steps have to be taken. The Chandigarh Administration is much capable for them.

Vaibhav Garg, Chandigarh

Dispel fears of residents

Virus has spread to almost every part of the city. There could be thousands of undiagnosed/asymptomatic cases. If testing has decreased because people are not ready to go to healthcare centres, the UT Administration should dispel their fears and encourage them to give samples. Many cities have conducted sero surveys. In some parts, results have been surprising. Sero survey should be conducted in Chandigarh too, especially in densely populated areas, so that policy makers have a fair idea of the spread of pandemic.

Sikander Singh, Chandigarh

QUESTION

The rising number of shooting incidents in Chandigarh involving gangsters and assailants from the neighbouring states has instilled fear among residents. What steps should be taken by the police to control deteriorating law and order situation in the city ?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com

Test reports not accurate

Most people are of the view that health centres harass patients and do not guide and treat them properly. They believe that accurate test reports are not given and many are declared Covid positive just to make money. Sero survey must be conducted to measure the extent of exposure to Covid-19 in the UT. The authorities should correct mistakes made in the past to handle the pandemic.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Procure special kits for survey

Though the government is making efforts to bend the curve of Covid-19 pandemic, these are still insufficient. Special kits should be procured to carry out tests for the sero survey as it will help policy makers tackle the virus by getting an idea about herd immunity in Chandigarh. The Indian Council of Medical Research has already issued guidelines to states and UTs to conduct such surveys.

Gopal Mittal, Panchkula

People forced to give samples

People who are suffering from minor breathing problem or diabetes or any other sickness fear going to hospitals because they are forced to give samples for the Covid test and declared positive for minting money. This is the main reason why the average testing rate has fallen. All dealing persons, including government and private are involved.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

Conduct tests on large scale

Chandigarh happens to be capital of two states. Many visit city for official work. Others stop for brief period while going to Himachal Pradesh. So, there are many chances of locals contracting the dreaded virus. In the face of increasing Covid-19 cases, there is certainly an urgent need for conducting tests. Residents should themselves come forward for giving samples for coronavirus test. The UT Administration should seek the assistance of elected area counsellors to motivate residents to get tested for the virus.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Encourage people to give samples

A large scale sero survey is the need of the hour as people have stopped getting themselves tested for the virus on their own for reasons best known to each one of us. The virus keeps changing. So, we all need to be vigilant to control the spread of pandemic. If proper action is not taken now, then pandemic can play havoc with precious lives. People need to be encouraged to get themselves tested for the Covid-19 or else a large scale sero-survey is the only solution to the problem.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

Survey sans accuracy is mere eyewash

There are enough myths and fake news about Covid-19 to make society discriminate persons suffering from the disease. People have to choose between facing stigma in society and workplace or skip the Covid test. There have been door-to-door surveys earlier also, but their accuracy is questionable. Unless people are willing to give accurate details, a survey is just an eyewash. The amount spent on surveys can be used on running campaigns that can help remove stigma in society. There are many platforms, including newspapers, TV channels and official social media pages, that can bring awareness among masses about Covid testing.

Shashank, Chandigarh

It’ll be easier to conduct survey in UT

Delhi always had plans to combat Covid-19, but with little initial support from the Central Government, these were never implemented earnestly. Sero survey led to a new revised plan of action, which showed positive results in controlling the pandemic. Sero survey will be easier and quicker in Chandigarh, which is smaller than Delhi. Residents also need to be proactive and do their part in the war against the virus by taking initiatives for self-protection. The Administration and residents have to fight the Covid-19 together.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Zirakpur

Survey can portray a real picture

If we venture out in the city it appears that Covid is history. People have let off their guard against the deadly virus especially in market places, public parks and malls. Even the numbers Covid cases reported are coming down gradually. A fatigue has set in towards testing. The reality is that the virus is still all over the place. We need to be cautious, adhere to precautionary norms and act responsibly. A large scale sero survey should be conducted to get a real picture of the Covid-19 infection in Chandigarh. Who knows a second wave of virus infection is coming? So, let’s not play with fire.

Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Cooperate with health department

Covid-19 cases have decreased in UT. But, it is a matter of concern that less number of residents are showing up at Covid test centres. Policies should be framed for conducting large-scale tests so that city residents can be assessed for exposure to the virus. The co-operation of the residents with the Health Department will be appreciable. People should also take safety measures to keep the virus at bay.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Will help contain spread of virus

There has been continuous increase of Covid-19 cases barring the last two weeks in the UT. The ICMR has already advised states and UTs to conduct sero survey, which involves testing of blood serum of individuals for the presence of antibodies against infection to know who has contracted virus in the past and recovered. Periodic sero surveys are useful to guide policy makers and help contain the virus. Antibodies appear after two weeks of the onset of infection once an individual has recovered and last for several months. The RT-PCR test is considered gold standard frontline test for clinical diagnosis of Covid-19.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Start mobile testing centres

In the UT almost one per cent of the population is infected with the coronavirus and 90 per cent are asymptomatic, but can result in the spike of Covid-19 cases. So, random testing should be increased. This can be done through mobile testing.

Priyam Aggarwal, Chandigarh

Go door to door, check symptoms

It’s negligence on the part of healthcare centres that a person tests positive in one such facility and negative in other leaving people in a limbo. Lack of proper care and hygienic conditions in hospitals for Covid patients can also be one of the reasons behind residents not turning up for Covid test. The Administration should definitely go for large-scale sero survey by dividing the city into zones and setting Covid test centres. Door-to-door checking of Covid symptoms can be done to detect positive cases and stop the spread of virus. The Administration has to improve facilities in hospitals and spread awareness among masses through interviews and videos of admitted patients so that people are satisfied that better and hygienic conditions are being provided in hospitals and they will be properly taken care of.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Start area-wise survey in UT

Most people opine that there are no proper arrangements to treat Covid patients in government hospitals due to poor facilities. On the other hand, private hospitals are inflating bills. The Administration should start area wise sero survey. People testing positive for the disease should be home quarantined and provided oxygen.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Can help monitor infection

Now is the time for sero survey because people will tend to get more complacent with the drop in number of Covid-19 cases. Conducting population-based sero survey for coronavirus will estimate and monitor the trend of infection in the population, determine the socio-demographic risk factors and delineate the geographical spread of the virus.

Dr PS Bhatti, Zirakpur

Let PGIMER conduct survey

The PGIMER should conduct sero survey in containment zones in the UT. There is need for holistic approach and embrace innovations to manage the disease burden in our area. Focus should be on providing adequate facilities in hospitals to treat Covid patients. Health experts must be given free hand to manage the pandemic.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

Many vulnerable to infection

It is a good news that the UT has seen dip in active Covid-19 cases. Still many residents are vulnerable to virus infection. In the given scenario, sero survey is needed to assess the situation on the ground. Besides, residents should come forward for Covid testing if they have any symptoms.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Chandigarh

Policies have failed to bear fruit

In a sero survey, blood samples are randomly collected from high-risk population groups to check antibodies for Covid-19. It is doubtful whether the Chandigarh Administration is capable of framing policies to handle the pandemic. So far, the UT Administration has only failed in tackling the pandemic. Its policies have failed to bear any fruit.

Gurpreet Malhotra, Mohali

Covid not a social stigma

It is good that Covid-19 cases are witnessing a downward trend, but the question is what is factual reason behind it? Is it due to reduced testing or actually such cases have started decreasing. If the reason is second one, then it is good. But if it is less testing, then the situation has to be tackled and the best way to do so would be survey and counselling residents about the good outcomes of getting tested for the Covid-19. They should not take coronavirus as social stigma. Rather it is a communicable, but curable disease if detected on time. It’s responsibility of the UT Administration to ensure safety of residents.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

Focus on places with maximum footfall

Though a small-scale sero survey was conducted by the PGIMER while enrolling volunteers for the clinical trial of the vaccine, the immunoglobulin-G (IgG) sero positivity to SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is an exclusion criterion indicative of its presence, bear testimony to the fact that some asymptomatic patients too could have been infected and even false positive or negative testing was also detected. The sero survey should be broad based to gauge the exposure to the contagion to collate conclusive evidence. Survey and testing at places of maximum footfall can yield optimal results. Luckily, the virus does not develop on its own, but is sourced and only a fraction of the population is infected so far. To avoid community spread, need of the hour is a six-month clampdown to deal firmly with violations of preventive measures.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Undertake sero epidemiology study

The findings of the first sero survey in different states had doubtful results, which eroded the trust of health experts as well as the general public towards such surveys. The need of the hour is a reliable serial sero epidemiology study that can help track the epidemic, monitor the trend of infection in specific population and geographic locations and any socio-demographic factors influencing the epidemic. The recent announcement of the Chandigarh Administration to conduct a new sero survey is an encouraging step for formulating a comprehensive policy to combat Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Manjinder Kaur, Manali

Social stigma cannot affect testing in UT

Downward trend in Covid-19 cases cannot be taken as positive sign as the rate of testing has reduced by 33 per cent. Social stigma cannot affect testing in Chandigarh as it is a city of educated people. Other reasons might be the waiting time and fear of catching infection at the health centre. So, more drive in testing booths should be provided. If such arrangements fail then only sero survey should be conducted for framing policies to combat the pandemic.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Most fear outcome of Covid test

It is a matter of great relief that Covid-19 cases are showing a downward trend. There is no denying the fact that those undergoing treatment for Covid-19 are considered social outcast without any fault of theirs. Even those, who recover after treatment, carry this stigma in society. As a result, people avoid Covid testing voluntarily. Secondly, most don’t give samples fearing what would happen if the result is positive? It would be advisable to conduct a door to door sero survey to expose Covid-19 in the community.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Mohali