Hyderabad: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh officials have come out with some weird ideas on swine flu prevention.
Telangana principal secretary (municipal administration) M.G. Gopal has issued a most urgent circular on prevention of swine flu, asking municipalities to organise rallies on prevention and control of swine flu and also organise ward-level meetings to create awareness. The circular flies against the face of doctors’ advice to avoid mass gatherings.
However, following this order, several municipalities conducting mass rallies where there are no screening of people participating, which further helps to spread the H1N1 influenza virus.
AP too has followed suit and rallies are being conducted on swine flu awareness, including one held in Tirupati on Tuesday.
Telangana, for some reason, is also clearing bushes and undergrowth as part of swine flu prevention measures. Dr Subhakar K., former nodal officer of Andhra Pradesh for H1N1 explained, “Rallies have been suggested so that visible awareness can be created among people.
But only ‘healthy people’ must come for the rally. People who are suffering from colds, coughs and other respiratory diseases must be asked to stay at home and rest.”
Pulmonologist Dr Y. Gopikrishna said, “A rally is a good idea so that the panic among the people can be arrested. People who come for the rally can be software professionals, college students and other healthy individuals.
Awareness can be spread through placards, demonstration and even skits. There is a need to create awareness of cough etiquette, and these demonstrations will help people understand the preventive measures better.”
Guntur DMHO Dr T. Padmaja Rani said, “If a person with swine flu is part of a crowd, the people surrounding him will also get affected. People should stay away from crowds. The collector should ban rallies for a few days.”
