Essential service providers entering Haryana to face rapid Covid tests

Haryana, which has sealed all its inter-state borders, on Friday decided to use rapid test kits for Covid infection on people entering it through any of its borders to provide essential goods and services in the state, said state Home Minister Anil Vij. The occupants of the essential goods and services supply vehicles entering the state will be tested and allowed entry only if they test negative for coronavirus, said the state home minister.

“We have sealed our borders making exemption for essential services. However, we have added a condition that we will carry out their coronavirus test on all our inter-state borders,” he said. “If they are found Covid-19 positive, they will be sent back to the concerned state with intimation to the authorities. Only Covid-negative persons will be allowed entry into Haryana,” he said.

Vij said the state Health Department is setting up medical booths on all borders for this purpose. Notably, Haryana shares its borders with Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Union Territory of Chandigarh, which is also the state's common capital.

“Some inconveniences will have to be tolerated because either we have to bear them or bear the brunt of coronavirus infection,” Vij said, justifying the stricter measures. Haryana government had earlier maintained that many of the coronavirus cases in NCR districts, including Sonipat, Gurgaon and Faridabad, have been found to have contracted the infection emanating from the national capital.

Vij said stricter measures have been put in place on all inter-state borders. Haryana so far has reported 347 positive cases, including those of 24 foreigners. The state has also reported four Covid-related deaths.

Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora, meanwhile, ordered a strict vigil in vegetable mandis through proper thermal scanning and adherence to social distancing norms. While presiding over the state’s Crisis Coordination Committee meeting, she said the state borders have been sealed and a strict vigil is required there to ensure that no person from within or outside the state can cross them them without proper screening for Covid-19. Sharing details of medical arrangements at border, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Rajeev Arora said to ensure the checking of every driver entering Haryana from other states, special medical teams would be deputed initially on every toll plaza at four the national highways connecting to the state. The medical teams have also been directed to conduct a thorough screening of every truck driver too, an official statement said.

Medical testing at dhabas on national highways, which would be allowed to open, would also be done for these truck drivers. Random sampling of health workers, sanitation workers, police personnel and other employees working in various departments involved in providing essential services are being conducted, the meeting was informed.

Vij, who is also the state Health Minister, meanwhile, said a committee under PGIMS, Rohtak will document all important events pertaining to Haryana's COVID fight. “A committee will be formed, in which couple of doctors from Health Department will also be there… what medicines were administered to treat coronavirus patients, what challenges were faced, where we tasted success, all these things will be documented, it will be like a book, which will contain all details,” said Vij.