VIJAYAWADA: To intensify sample collection for COVID-19 tests in the district, the state government has sanctioned 8,500 rapid test kits, informed Krishna collector A Md Imtiaz on Sunday. Addressing a meeting to discuss the steps taken to combat the novel coronavirus, the collector said these kits will reach the district Monday night and would be used in localities based on the number of positive cases reported from there. Besides, 1,500 kits would be used for examination of health and medical staff, Imtiaz added.
On the occasion, he directed the officials to strengthen vigil and strictly enforce the lockdown in Vijayawada, Nuzvid, Jaggaiahpet, Machilipatnam, Chandarlapadu, Nandigama, Penamaluru and Veerulapadu mandals, from where Covid-19 positive cases were reported. Imtiaz also suggested the officials concerned to engage local labourers in agriculture works in the remaining 40 mandals of the district. Bankers were asked to continue business by deploying 20 per cent of the staff in their branches under red zone areas; in other areas, the existing situation should be considered before deploying the staff.
Regarding the packaging of mangoes, skilled labour from neighbouring districts will be deployed and steps are being taken in this regard, he said. Meanwhile, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has started distributing face masks made by women self help groups under MEPMA. In the first phase, the civic body has received around 10,000 masks.
MEPMA state manager K Sakuntala and VMC project officer Ramana Reddy on Sunday evening distributed these masks to people at Kummaripalem Centre, a red zone. Shakuntala said the gear would be given to people in Red Zones, and then in orange and green zones, and urged the public to use the masks after washing and drying them in sunlight for at least six hours.