The number of countries from where passengers are being screened at airports for symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is now 12, the latest addition being Italy, Iran and South Korea. But the existing facilities for screening are far from adequate, say passengers and healthcare personnel.
Screening for COVID-19 started with passengers of four countries — China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore. However, in the last few weeks, the number of countries on the COVID-19 map has been rising. But some passengers say screening for symptoms is far from satisfactory, while healthcare personnel blame it on insufficient manpower. There is also a lack of adequate personal protective equipment for them.
Public health officials said with the addition of more countries on the screening list, the State government is supporting the airport health authorities with manpower. They have deputed doctors and paramedical staff to be part of the screening teams at airports — 10 for Chennai and 12 for Tiruchi, an official said.
“The Directorate of Public Health (DPH) deputed six staff nurses and four health inspectors to the Chennai airport. Some of them are on a continuous 12-hour shift. Passengers from at least nearly 15 flights were screened during a night shift, and this is affecting their efficiency and health,” an official said.
Currently, there are five airport medical officers along with a few doctors of the CGHS, he said, adding, “At least 20 more persons, including doctors from DPH, are required here. The personnel can be posted on three shifts and improve checks on arriving passengers.”
Masks, gloves
Officials noted that healthcare personnel were not provided triple layer masks or N95 masks and adequate number of gloves at the Chennai airport. “They are only wearing regular masks. The number of gloves is also insufficient,” another official said.
Officials said there are chances of missing passengers who travel from affected countries and reach any of the airports in the State through a transit flight. Smritika Srinivasan, a 26-year-old working professional from Chennai who returned to the city after a visit to Doha, says, “There was an announcement while we were on the aircraft, asking only passengers who are running a temperature, to go in for a screening when we land in Chennai. After that, the rest of us went ahead with immigration as usual without any screening. This is not how it should be. Ideally, they should screen passengers from all flights,” she said.
But officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) say they provided every facility that the Airports Health Organisation (APHO) requested since they conduct the screening.
“As soon as a flight arrives, hand sanitisers are provided to passengers and thermal screening is done immediately; and only after that do they head to immigration. We have installed smart hygiene machines. Whatever the APHO has asked us we have provided and are coordinating with them. If we receive instructions that passengers from all flights have to be screened, we will certainly do so. We are strictly following instructions,” an official said.
Another official at the airport said they have been screening all passengers from the 12 countries and even passengers arriving from other countries with fever.
