Covid care centre for Delhi Police reopens as nearly 2,000 test positive

Officials’ in-charge of the 70-bed Covid care centre that was set up at the Shahdara police station said no one has been admitted

A 70-bed Covid care centre for Delhi Police personnel, which was opened last year and shut temporarily after a drop in cases, has been made functional again in the backdrop of nearly 2,000 police staff testing positive for the infection in the ongoing wave of the viral disease.

According to a copy of the new SOP, seen by HT, the police chief, Rakesh Asthana has directed personnel at the stations to be grouped into different categories. (HT Archive)

Of the total 2,000 who had tested positive, nearly 1,000 personnel have recovered and joined duty, police officers aware of the matter said.

Officials’ in-charge of the Covid Care centre that was set up at the Shahdara police station said no one has been admitted. “Most of our personnel have mild symptoms and are isolating at home. It (the centre) has been made functional as a precautionary measure. We have four ICU beds too at the facility. We are prepared but no personnel so far needed institutional care,” an official, in charge of the centre said, asking not to be named.

Delhi Police officers said they are following a detailed standard procedure issued by the police commissioner’s office two weeks ago after cases of infection started rising in the city.

“There was a detailed SOP issued in May 2020. That has been revised with new directions and sent to all police personnel across the city. All police personnel have to follow the SOP in letter and spirit,” said a second senior police officer, who too asked not to be named.

Like health care workers, who are at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19, police personnel have also been tagged under the category of front-line workers.

According to a copy of the new SOP, seen by HT, the police chief, Rakesh Asthana has directed personnel at the stations to be grouped into different categories.

“There are micro groups like field duty staff, which comprises of police personnel who have the maximum contact with the public. Then there is the group of fixed duty staff who have desk jobs at the station. They have been segregated so that if one of them tests positive, a small group is tested or quarantined. There should be least contact between these micro groups,” the second officer mentioned above said.

In May 2020, during the first wave of the infection, the Chandni Mahal police station had to be sealed after most officers in the station tested positive. The infection had spread from the barracks within the station.

The new SOP also makes it mandatory for station house officers to conduct a “risk profiling” of the personnel at the station. “Risk profiling of the available staff in police station shall be done and appropriate staff accordingly be assigned high-risk duties,” reads the SOP.

Separately, the welfare unit of the Delhi police, which is overseeing the Covid-19 cases in the force, has also set up camps for booster doses of police personnel. Such camps are being held across all police districts for police personnel to take time off from their duties and get the third booster dose jab.