With flight services resuming in Visakhapatnam, several passengers from different cities have been arriving in the city. Following the guidelines issued by the State Government, the passengers are being screened for any COVID-19 symptoms at the airport before being sent to the paid or government-run quarantine facilities in Visakhapatnam. Elaborating on the screening and quarantining measures that are being implemented Dr Devi Madhavi, Professor, Social and Preventive Medicine (SPM), Andhra Medical College (AMC) told Yo! Vizag that the government and paid-quarantine facilities in Vizag are well-equipped to serve the returnees.
Upon arrival, the Screening Committee at Visakhapatnam Airport will conduct medical screening for the travellers who land at the airport. Sharing that apart from recording the passengers’ body temperature, Dr Devi Madhavi informed that their pulse and oxygen levels will be measured. “The symptomatic individuals will be shifted to Pradhama Hospital for further testing,” she added.
The AMC Professor said that Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh are being considered as high incidence areas. “Airport Screening Committee will take up the task of segregating people coming from these high incidence areas. Among these passengers, people belonging to other districts are allowed to go back to their hometowns. Their information will be recorded and passed on to the respective District Reception Centres where they will be tested further for COVID-19,” she said.
Shedding light on how passengers coming from high-risk areas, who belong to Visakhapatnam district will be quarantined, Dr Devi Madhavi informed that the individuals will be tested at the facility at Sitarama Kalyana Mandapam, near Silver Jubilee Port Hospital, Vizag. “But before that, the Airport Committee will display the list of quarantine centres in Vizag where the passengers can choose either Government quarantine centre or paid-quarantine facility. If tested positive, they will be immediately moved to the hospital. Despite testing negative, these high-risk travellers will be quarantined for a week at the chosen institute. If the individuals test negative, they will be allowed to go home where another week-long quarantine should be practised. People coming from low-risk areas will be tested and advised for home quarantine for a period of 14 days. Their information will be shared with the District Medical & Health Officer (DM& HO) so that they will be included in the home-quarantine list,” she said.
Mentioning how these passengers are constantly under the surveillance, Dr Madhavi said, “If they report with any medical symptoms at institutional quarantine, the duty doctors will shift them to the hospital immediately. For individuals under home quarantine, ANMS and health staff will be informed keep a check on these passengers.”
Here’s the list of paid quarantine facilities in Visakhapatnam:
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