The New Town and Salt Lake authorities will conduct a door-to-door survey focussing on the areas that have a high concentration of people flying in from other countries.
The authorities have decided to take up this measure as the omicron variant of the novel coronavirus is highly transmissible.
An official of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) said they had held several meetings with senior officials from the health department on the issue. They have decided to check for symptoms Covid-19 like fever and influenza-like conditions among the residents.
According to the official, the teams have been instructed to seek out people who have flown in recently or have come in contact with a friend or relative who has come back from another country.
NKDA chairman Debashis Sen said their health workers would visit residential houses in all three action areas of the township.
“Our teams are already conducting a door-to-door survey to check for symptoms of dengue fever. In addition to this, we have asked the teams to also focus on finding people who have Covid symptoms. This will help us map areas from where more people with symptoms are being reported and take adequate measures,” said Sen.
Health workers will visit cooperative societies, standalone buildings and housing complexes in New Town and Salt Lake to take down details of family members, ask them if they have received one or both doses of the Covid vaccine and if they had any Covid or dengue symptoms.
In case a health worker finds a person has a Covid symptom, surveillance in the area will be intensified.
Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, too, has allotted 10 two-member teams for the survey. Each team will carry two sheets to record the response of the citizens.
“The teams have been asked to note down details of all residents and ask them if they have any symptoms of Covid — fever, dry cough or shortness of breath,” said an official.
