Staff members of Police Seva Bhawan covered under sero survey

BHUBANESWAR: The staff members at Police Seva Bhawan, the headquarters of the commissionerate police, have undergone serological test against the backdrop of a spurt in Covid-19 positive cases in the law enforcement agency. The Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) collected the samples from all the 270 employees ranging from gardener to commissioner of police.
The sero survey in the Police Seva Bhawan was conducted after the personal assistant (PA) of additional commissioner of police Sanjay Singh tested positive to Covid-19 virus last week. Besides, a number of officers from police stations in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack frequently visit the commissionerate police headquarters on official work. At least 50 police personnel in Bhubaneswar and around 20 in Cuttack have already been tested positive for novel coronavirus. No Covid casualty has so far been reported in the twin cities.
Last month, the RMRC collected sero-samples from different high-risk groups, including 237 police personnel of the battalions and other police establishments to assess the extent of spread of the virus among the vulnerable frontline workers. “We had got the first phase results that showed only four out of the 237 personnel already developed antibodies. The results of the latest sero-survey that was conducted in my office may come next week. We have urged the RMRC to conduct such tests in our police stations and other police establishments,” commissioner of police Sudhanshu Sarangi said.
Sarangi said the commissionerate police have a robust protocol to keep the virus at bay. “We are extremely watchful as our nature of job involves exposure to the virus-load places. The first phase of sero-survey among our officers showed that our preventive measures so far worked out. We have been aggressively going for testing, isolation and treatment of our personnel,” Sarangi said.
The police have also formed a WhatsApp group, involving some doctors to regularly monitor the health of cops through video calls and chats. “We have set up dedicated rapid antigen test centres at the police hospitals in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. A standard operating procedure was already issued to police stations on how to handle complainants during the pandemic. Investigating officers have been strictly asked to wear personal protective equipment when they visit hospitals to conduct medical test of accused, inquest of bodies and consult doctors,” Sarangi said.
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