Second wave of COVID-19 can be tackled, says senior cop in Kerala

Kerala's Kasaragod district, one of first COVID-19 hotspots in India, turned coronavirus-free on Sunday. rth Kerala district, which lacked improved health infrastructure compared to ors in state, h witnessed zero death. But relief was short-lived as fresh coronavirus cases were reported from district on Monday. Four people who h arrived from Maharashtra were found infected with dely virus, commencing second wave of COVID-19 in district.

However, top police official Vijay Sakhare, whose "triple lock" strategy helped district keep virus at bay, said re was thing to worry as situation could very well be mand by implementing same strategy forcefully. triple lock involves a combination of techlogy and human surveillance and restricting movement of people in three sts. While Lock-I enviss broer restriction of movement of all people residing in district, Lock-II is for people living in distinct geographical areas with positive cases and third st is targeted effort to keep primary and secondary contacts of COVID-19 patient in ir homes.

IG ranking officer who was deputed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as COVID-19 special officer of Kasaragod on  March 23, implemented triple lock strategy and this effective policing measure helped arrest spre of virus.

same strategy was implemented in neighbouring Kannur district and earned positive results when it was turning to become ar COVID-19 hotspot. In a te prepared by Sakhare on "triple lock strategy", he spoke of new challenges after people returning through inter-state land borders, including those from red-zones have been permitted to undergo 14 day quarantine at ir homes. international returnees have been asked to observe mandatory quarantine in institutional centres or hotels.

"Many of se evacuated persons may turn COVID positiveafter returning home. Some of m may be symptomatic carriers of COVID-19 and a few may be asymptomatic. In order to meet se challenges and prevent spre of infection in community, 'triple-lock' strategy has to be scaled up," officer said in te. " new returnees to Kasaragod have to be brought under umbrella of Lock-III," said Sakhare, Kochi City Police Commissioner who returned from Kasaragod last week after completion of his special assignment.

Talking to PTI, he said residences of returnees should be monitored continuously by stationing police guards in front of select houses, by covering residences of home quarantined people with mobile patrols, which check physical presence of person at least twice a day. This would be done by deploying drones in 'drone-beat' over se homes and by using COVID-Safety app. Legal action should be initiated against violators and ir family members for endangering lives of ors in society, senior IPS officer said.

Ar challenge is to ensure that those people who stay at 'institutional quarantine centres' observe quarantine properly and do t socialise with each or. An officer at least of rank of Sub-inspector should be me in-charge of centre. He should ensure that person visited any of inmates or inmates stepped out at any point of time.

COVID Safety app should be installed in every inmate's phone to ensure that person does t violate quarantine, Sakhare said. Similar system should be in place in hotels as well. hotel staff has to be trained in maintaining quarantine and ensuring that it was observed by returnees. Sharing his experience as COVID-19 officer in Kasaragod district, Sakhare said results of triple lock strategy have demonstrated that it was extremely successful in containing spre of virus.

" success of strategy can be gauged from fact that it has brought weekly reporting of cases from 64 to barely 5 with in span of three weeks - a reduction of 92 per cent. In succeeding three weeks, only 5,4 and 2 positive cases were reported and in last 11 days since 1st May, positive cases were reported- which demonstrates resounding success of containment strategy," he claimed. last Corona positive patient of first wave of COVID-19 in Kasaragod recovered on May 10 and district became COVID-free. But few hours later, second wave of disease has begun and district is prepared to meet challenge.