Covid-19: Sampling drive initiated for industrial workers in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 22

Going ahead with the strategy to control the spread of Covid-19, mass media teams have now moved to industries to get their workers tested for the virus. The teams have initiated a sampling drive in prime industries of the district. Specials teams are testing workers free of cost on premises of industries itself.

Workers sensitised to preventive measures

Workers, after testing, were also sensitised to preventive measures such as washing hands, wearing masks and maintaining social distance to stay safe, said block extension educator Rajinder Singh.

A special drive has also been launched by the mass media teams to spread awareness among industries in which workers and owners are told about preventive measures to be taken to keep the disease away. They are also counselled to get everybody on premises of industries tested for the virus.

Dr Rajesh Kumar Bagga said, “Asymptomatic people are also getting positive in the city. Sampling is the only way to differentiate between Covid positive and negative persons. There are thousands of workers in big industries of the district. They live in different areas of the city, so it becomes more important to test them in order to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Block extension educator Rajinder Singh said, “We have started sampling from a well-known industry of the city. As many as 125 workers have been tested. After testing all workers of one industrial unit we will move on to other industries.”

Workers, who were tested were also sensitised about the preventive measures such as washing hands, wearing masks and maintaining adequate social distance to stay safe, he added.

Workers were apprised about the guidelines of the government according to which if anyone turns positive he/she won’t have to visit hospital and could stay in home isolation, he said.

“To save time we are doing rapid tests of workers, which is reliable. Testing with rapid kits takes less than 30 minutes from taking the sample to giving the final report. Also, the process is painless and sampling is free of cost in all government health institutions,” he added.