Members of the Indian Medical Association(IMA) of Chittoor district chapter and A.P. Government Doctors’ Association on Sunday said that there was need for a stricter facemask norm and awareness among people to combat COVID-19.
The chapter president, P. Ravi Raju, deplored that with relaxations in the lockdown, people had thrown the precautions to wind, and warned that one must continue wearing a mask for at least one year to protect self and others from the virus.
“A face mask prevents the spread of the virus by 90%. A majority of the cases at the isolation centres in the district are found to be asymptomatic. Unknowingly, infected persons may pass it on to others, endangering the lives of many,” Dr. Ravi Raju said.
At a meeting with the ASHA workers and paramedical staff at the Primary Health Center at Narayanavanam, Dr. Ravi Raju instructed them to educate people about the facemask norm as a preventive measure.
He said the COVID task force should rope in medical staff of the Social Preventive Medicine(SPM) department of the various medical colleges in the State for containment measures.
Masks distributed
Meanwhile, Dr. Ravi Raju gave away masks to those who were seen travelling on Puttur-Chennai National Highway without masks, at Narayanavanam junction, near Puttur on Sunday.
Members of IMA distributed masks to about 1,000 people at various junctions on the highway in Satyavedu Assembly constituency, which registered close to 50 COVID-19 cases with Koyambedu links in the last two weeks.
It was observed that a large number of people from the rural areas of the adjoining mandals of Pichatur, Nagalapuram, Nindra, Nagari and Satyavedu were not wearing face masks while travelling in share-autos and two-wheelers.
“Usually, men use handkerchiefs and towels as masks, while women use their saree edges to cover their faces. This practice is risky and offers one less protection from infections,” the doctor said.
