Biswanath district administration focuses on COVID control in tea gardens areas

A CORRESPONDENT

BISWANATH CHARIALI: With the increasing cases of COVID-19 being reported from tea garden areas in Biswanath district, the administration has accorded top priority in bringing the situation under control at the earliest.

Aggressive testing, isolating the infected patients immediately and vaccinating all above the age of 18 years in tea gardens are currently the prime focus areas of the administration. Pranab Kumar Sarmah, Deputy Commissioner of Biswanath, who is personally monitoring the situation, said, "The fast spread of the virus in tea garden areas is certainly a matter of concern for us. We can't let the situation spiral out of control. We have pulled up our socks and putting in our best efforts to bring the situation under control. I am hopeful that our aggressive testing and vaccination strategy will surely bear fruit soon." He has been regularly holding meetings with tea garden managements and labour associations and taking stock of the prevailing situation to help him micro-plan every details. Of late, visits to tea gardens to oversee the COVID control initiatives, like vaccination drives, medical facilities in COVID Care Centres (CCCs), testing in vulnerable areas, have been intensified.

The vaccination drive across tea garden areas has been significantly ramped up in the district. Around 1,200 persons are being vaccinated on a daily basis in tea garden areas since June 21. The number of tests too has been scaled up and around 600 tests on an average are being conducted daily with the objective of isolating the infected ones at the earliest. Out of the total population of around 1 lakh residing in tea garden areas of Biswanath district, around 31 per cent have been inoculated against COVID-19 by now. The district has set up around 50 COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) across the district since June 21 to fulfill its target of administering 7,000 doses daily, and out of those, 30 CVCs are situated in tea garden areas.

The Deputy Commissioner has asked the tea garden managements and labour associations to intensify awareness campaigns in tea gardens so that tea garden workers not only abide by all COVID rules and protocols, but also come forward to get themselves vaccinated. Mobile announcements through vans too are being made on frequent basis to generate awareness. Executive Magistrates too have been ordered by the Deputy Commissioner to make frequent visits to CVCs in tea garden areas and inspect the quality of food and other facilities being provided to patients. At present, there are 43 CCCs in tea garden areas and 118 patients are undergoing care. Till Friday, a total of 931 positive cases were detected across all 24 tea gardens in Biswanath district.

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