Focused sampling drive to check Covid spread in Lucknow from Monday

Covid sampling on the first day will primarily target street vendors, truck drivers, shopkeepers and people around religious sites, in line with the district administration’s plan.

A focused sampling drive to check Covid-19 spread will begin in the state capital from Monday. On the first day, it will primarily cover street vendors, drivers, shopkeepers and people near religious places, as per the plan of the district administration.

A beneficiary receiving Covid vaccination in Lucknow. Covid sampling in Lucknow will focus on a particular segment every day, such as street vendors and drivers on the first day while religious places on the next day. (For representation purpose)

Chief medical officer of Lucknow Dr Manoj Agrawal said every day the focus would be upon one segment such as on the first day, street vendors and drivers while the next day religious places.

“Focused sampling is a proven method to bring out people who may not be aware that they are actually infected. Such cases can be super spreaders, but if tracked and treated can help in controlling spread of the Covid infection,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general association of international doctors.

Every day, the health department targets to take samples of about 10,000 people under the focused sampling drive. On Monday, drivers of e-rickshaws, tempos, three-wheelers will be the target group for sampling. On Tuesday, employees working in shops around religious places while on Wednesday, sampling will be carried out for the staff at restaurants, hotels, two and four-wheeler shops and people in weekly market in Mahanagar.

On Thursday, the sampling will be done in weekly market at Aminabad and on October 15, Dussehra Mela area.