Coronavirus: No screening for travellers entering Kashmir through surface traffic

Medical colleges to screen people for virus: Nodal Officer

Srinagar: Even as the Coronavirus has been declared as global emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Jammu and Kashmir government is yet to set up screening facilities for those travelling to the region through road and rail link.
The health department has opened ‘Coronavirus help desk’ at the Srinagar Airport but there is no screening facility for the passengers travelling by road and train to enter Jammu and Kashmir.
“Coronavirus doesn’t have cure so we must curtail its spread by screening people coming affected areas. Unfortunately, the Jammu and Kashmir has focussed on Airports only while hundreds of people entering the region,” said an epidemiologist
He said that the health department must set up screening facilities on the highways and railway stations so that regular travellers can be checked thoroughly.
“There must be checking facility at highway entry points and railway stations to end every possibility of the virus sneaking in,” he said.
According to him, the entry points especially Airports and railway station must have thermo scanners and graphic devices so that no infected person goes unnoticed.
Nodal Officer for Coronavirus in J&K, Dr Shafqat Khan said that the health department had already discussed this possibility and there will be more screening points in the region.
“This point was raised in the recently held video-conferencing and it was decided that there will be more screening and testing facility for travellers in every district especially those associated with the newly medical colleges,” he said.
He said the health department will start screening people in the medical colleges of Anantnag, Baramulla, Kathua, Rajouri and Doda so that no one gets unnoticed.
“The respective medicals colleges will have their screening facilities on the highways and railway station as per their jurisdiction,” he said.

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