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Now, random pool tests for migrant workers

TNN | May 13, 2020, 04.51 AM IST

Bareilly: With scores of migrant workers returning to Bareilly, the health department has started conducting random pool tests
for Covid-19 among them.
After they return to Bareilly, a health team screens them and then, they are sent to shelter homes.

Now, mobile medical units have been deployed at these shelter homes to collect random samples for pool test.

According to officials, when a migrant worker reaches Bareilly, a medical team screens them. The suspected cases are
quarantined while the remaining asymptomatic people are sent to temporary shelter homes or are home quarantined. The
district administration has selected 11 centres as shelter homes for lodging them..

Chief medical officer, Dr Vineet Shukla, said, “On the order of state government, we have started conducting random pool tests
of migrant workers. On Monday, we sent mobile medical units to an education institute which has been turned into a shelter
home for migrant workers. Pool samples were collected of 30 people and they all tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday.
Besides, two mobile medical units were sent to two centres and random pool samples were collected.”

Ved Ram, a native of Naugawan Thakuran village under Aonla sub-division whose pool sample was collected for Covid-19 test,
said,

“My wife and I along with our four children returned to Bareilly from Gujarat in a special train. We were taken to a shelter home,
where our health screening was done. My sample too was collected for Covid-19 test. We were later sent to our village and
have been told to follow home quarantine.”

He added, “I used to work at a brick kiln in Gujarat but after the lockdown, there was no work. We were forced to return home.
Once the lockdown is lifted, we will go to some neighbouring state in search of work so that we remain close to home.”