To protect police personnel battling the Covid-19 crisis on the frontline, the Punjab Police has deployed mobile clinics for their medical examination with 30,567 of the total 43,000 cops on the ground already given one round of a thorough check-up.
The ‘Mobile Police Clinics’ are working in all seven police ranges and police commissionerates of the State to medical examine the frontline police force, which has been working relentlessly for curfew enforcement and relief operations, across three shifts a day, said the state DGP Dinkar Gupta on Friday.
In some of the districts, help is being taken from the civil hospital doctors also to get the police personnel, especially on duty at the naka points, checked for symptoms of flu or other illnesses.
All personnel will be checked repeatedly, every second day, to ensure that there is no health issue among them as a result of possible exposure to the coronavirus, said the DGP.
Gupta said that detailed instructions have already been issued by district SSPs to ensure that all police personnel, performing duties at the forefront in enforcing the lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus across the State, remain healthy and safe.
While all police personnel on duty to enforce lockdown have been provided with masks, gloves and hand sanitizers, those deployed at the hospital isolation wards or in the vicinity are provided with PPEs or biohazard suits, said the DGP.
Given the vulnerability of police force performing duties in the face of Covid-19 exposure, all mandatory precautions are being taken and medical help is being provided in the districts to the police personnel, besides meticulously following the guidelines issued by the Health Ministry from time to time, to keep the spread of Covid-19 virus under check, said Gupta.
Tents and outdoor umbrellas have been installed along barricades to protect them from extreme hot temperatures, and to ensure sanitization of barricades, chairs, and other items which are used by police force on front line duty, a special Japanese machine which covers 70 feet radius on both sides with 10 percent sodium hypochlorite solution is being used by CP/Ludhiana and SSP/Patiala.
The DGP further revealed that the latest technology like drones was being deployed to identify areas of curfew violation, thereby helping frontline police personnel in their duties
Referring to deployment of police personnel, DGP said that it was being done in three shifts in view of health and wellness of the force and the norms of social distancing is also being followed to prevent any exposure to the virus.