VIJAYAWADA: Around 500 personnel of the Vijayawada police have tested Covid-19 positive in the second wave against 396 positive cases in the first wave and eight succumbed to the virus in the past two months.According to the data obtained from the Vijayawada police, as many as 289 personnel attached with civil duties, 131 were attached with Armed Reserve, 70 Home Guards and 10 communication staff got infected with the dreaded virus during the second wave.
Out of a total of 500, 13 are active cases and the remaining have been discharged from the hospital and are on active duty. “We have lost eight officers of various ranks to the virus. Many have tested Covid-19 positive and there are quite a few who have tested negative, but are nonetheless in home quarantine as they are still showing Covid-19 symptoms,” Commissioner of Police Bathini Sreenivasulu said.
He further said Covid-19 did not spare the police department for the second time around and told police personnel faced the wrath of the virus, while ensuring the people adhere to lockdown and Covid-19 norms. “It’s easy for the public to pick up an argument with the police when they are stopped for violating Covid-19 norms, but they never understand our intention. We are here for the public and they must understand this. Eight police personnel succumbed to the virus in the second wave and two last year,” he explained.
Asked about the measures to protect personnel from falling prey to the virus, the Commissioner of Police said 97.63 per cent of the staff working in all the wings got vaccinated with the first dose and 96.5 per cent completed their second dose. “We are conducting vaccination drives regularly to ensure the last person in the department gets vaccinated,” he said.
Sreenivasulu said that they have taken precautionary measures by giving staff over 55 years desk duties in order to prevent the spread. “Officers above 55 years and pregnant staff were asked to restrict themselves to desk duties as they are more vulnerable to the virus. Also an officer was appointed to look after the health condition of staff who got infected with the virus,” the Commissioner of Police said, adding that stringent action would be initiated against those who were found violating Covid-19 norms.