Nobel Laureate Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee on Tuesday recommended more widespread testing across West Bengal and setting up of a ‘hotline’ through which people with symptoms of coronavirus can approach the State government to contain its spread.
Prof. Banerjee has been roped in by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a member of the State’s Global Advisory Board to contain the crisis.
In a meeting through videoconference with the Chief Minister at the State Secretariat, the Nobel Laureate said a system of “reporting” or information be set up at the local level to pre-empt the spread of COVID-19.
“If in a particular locality it is found that a number of people are coughing a lot, then there should be a system by which that is immediately reported so that tests can be carried out in that area. If necessary, a hotline be established for it. This way the virus will not be given a chance to spread to other localities. If a reporting structure is set up it will be good,” he said from his residence in the U.S.
Also read: Coronavirus India lockdown Day 14 updates
According to Prof. Banerjee, such a system is necessary because if the outbreak takes place in a number of areas simultaneously, it will be difficult to handle.
Cleaning of hands
Earlier, during the interaction with the senior officers, the Chief Minister had said that markets selling essentials like vegetables should be kept open.
Prof. Banerjee suggested that those visiting markets should wear masks, while maintaining social distancing and washing of hands. He recommended that provision for cleaning hands at the entry and exit points of markets be made available.
Citing instances of other countries where people entering markets are sanitised, he added that ‘before entering markets if one uses a hand sanitiser at the entry point and again at the time of exit, it will yield good results in combating the spread of the virus’.
Death toll rises to 5
The Chief Minister told journalists that active cases in the State had increased to 69 and the number of deaths had increased to five.
While Ms. Banerjee did not give details about the new cases or deaths, she along with other officials said there were seven areas where active cases had been reported. The Chief Minister said most of the cases had been reported from certain families. Ms. Banerjee refused to take questions on those from the State who attended Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi.
Earlier in the day, a Left Front delegation including CPI(M) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra and Left Front Chairperson Biman Bose met the Chief Minister at the State Secretariat.
Published - April 07, 2020 10:29 pm IST
