SDMC screens sanitation staff for Covid-19 symptoms

In order to ensure the safety of its staff, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday screened its sanitation employees and health workers for Covid-19

In order to ensure the safety of its staff, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday screened its sanitation employees and health workers for Covid-19 symptoms. These employees were deployed for the sanitisation and disinfection of Nizamuddin, which has evolved into a Covid-19 hot spot accounting for 259 cases, and areas adjoining it.

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According to municipal officials, 95 public health workers, field workers and sanitation employees were screened on Friday. The screening was done by a panel of specialised doctors.

The south civic body in a statement said personal protective equipment such as hazmat suits, masks, and gloves are being provided to sanitation and field workers deployed in high-risk areas.

Sanitation employees had been demanding screening of those engaged in sweeping, disinfectant spraying, collection and transportation of garbage in areas such as Nizamuddin in south Delhi and Dilshad Garden, another hot spot that falls under the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

“Of the 95 people screened, 59 are sanitation workers and the rest are from the health department. All are healthy and showed no symptoms of coronavirus. They have also been briefed by doctors to keep a watch on their health and in case of any symptom such as cold or cough or fever, they are to immediately consult a doctor,” a senior SDMC official said.

Special sanitization drives are being conducted in densely populated areas.

SDMC has also started ground-level monitoring of all Covid-19 hot spots in its four zones. Other than Nizamuddin, the SDMC Friday conducted intensive sanitisation drive in Kasturba Niketan, Lajpat Nagar, Bakkarwala quarantine centre, Kapashera Extension and Kalkaji by deploying tankers for spraying 1% sodium hypochlorite solution to curb the spread of the SARS CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19, the civic body said in a statement.