HYDERABAD: Pharmacies across the State would now have to collect details of the people who purchase medicines for ailments such as cold, cough and fever, which are also the symptoms of COVID-19. These details comprising addresses and phone numbers should be submitted to the State government, which would maintain a directory of such people and take their samples for tests, if necessary.
MAUD Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar on Saturday issued directions to all the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and additional collectors to hold meetings with the owners of pharmacies and their associations and issue necessary instructions in this regard.
The pharmacy owners would also be asked to inform people about the initiative before taking their details. According to MAUD, the move is necessitated as some may hesitate to report to the government if they are symptomatic owing to the social stigma attached to Covid-19 and may try to self-medicate.