Bhubaneswar: In order to know the immunological status of the community and high risk groups, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday started Sero Surveilance for Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the capital city.
The RMRC (ICMR) Bhubaneswar provides the technical support of the surveillance. The surveillance is being conducted according to the Covid-19 Guidelines, said BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Choudhary.
As per the strategy, there will be random sample collection from different high risk groups and community members like- Immuno-compromised patients, health care workers, Securirty personnel, Press Corps, Municipal workers, Drivers, Prisons, Shop keepers/ vendors, Air port workers, Urban Slums, Migrant Camps and Containment zones.
About 25 wards under three BMC zones have been chosen for the purpose. The wards selected under three zones are – 2, 4, 7, 14, 17, 19, 27, 29, 32, 40, 42, 45, 54, 56 and 59 on July 11 to July 20 and 9, 12, 22, 24, 35, 37, 48, 51, 62 and 65 on July 12 to July 20 will be covered by the team members.
On Saturday and Sunday, samples will be collected from community members.
The designing of sample collection has been made based on the categories of high risk groups. The teams will be visiting the people for the testing. In each ward one cluster has been chosen.
The surveillance will be completed in two rounds. The first round will take around 10-12 days whereas next round of surveillance will start after 28 days of first round as per technical mandate. Exact date will be decided later.
Presently, in the first round five teams have been formed taking lab technicians. In each team, there are around 7-10 members. The teams are guided RMRC personnel.
As estimated roughly about 1600 samples will be collected from high risk and slum pockets and 900 from community members. So in the first round a total no of 2500 samples will be collected which is technically decided.
