Why voluntary declaration is key in tackling coronavirus

Health minister Harsh Vardhan explained if people start filling the form, it will benefit everyone.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has reiterated that only those who are not healthy wear masks, as he listed the steps being take by the government to control the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardan, Delhi LG Anil Bajial, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during a meeting on precautionary measure to combat coronavirus at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi. (Photo: Sonu Mehta/ Hindustan Times)

“I have already said it: Healthy people don’t need masks. Only people who are unhealthy need to use it so that they do not transmit the illness,” Vardhan said on Monday. He also stressed on the need to voluntarily declare the travel history so that it becomes easier to check the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus.

“Voluntary declaration is for the well-being of everyone. All of us will benefit if people start filling out the form,” said Vardhan.

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“On 18 January, we started universal screening on seven airports and now 30 airports have been put under screening. All passengers coming from other countries are being screened on the airports. So far, 8,74,708 passengers screened,” he further said, assuring that the government is not leaving any stone unturned in tackling coronavirus.

“Last week, we spoke to all the health secretaries through video conferencing. The PM himself has been taking stock of the situation,” Vardhan said.

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Vardhan had on Monday chaired a high level meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and other top officials over the rising cases of coronavirus in India. The meeting was held amid the rising cases of the Covid-19 which have gone up to 43 in India.

In the meeting, the minister stressed upon coordinated action between all concerned departments and agencies, for conducting activities such as contact tracing, community surveillance, hospital management, identification of isolation wards, adequate availability of Personal Protective Equipments and masks and risk communication for mass awareness.

A total of 8,74,708 international passengers from 8,255 flights have been screened at airports till now with 1,921 passengers identified as symptomatic, 177 of them have been hospitalised.