Indore: The most ambitious project of district administration to know the prevalence of Covid-19 among people - Sero survey - hit the hurdle of unawareness on the first day (Tuesday) as the teams couldn’t collect even half of the expected samples.
Team members had to face a tough time in collecting samples from people as many of the people refused to give samples to the team out of fear. Moreover, people didn’t give samples even when police were with the team in Tanzim Nagar and five other wards.
“People are not cooperating due to unawareness. They think that we have come to take them to the hospital or have come to take their Covid-19 sample,” supervisor of team in Khajrana area Pharmacist Sarika Jain said.
She said that the team members had to pacify people but succeeded in taking samples of only a few. As many as 85 teams including pharmacist and nursing staff in each were expected to take 10 samples each from 85 wards of the city but the teams could collect only 324 samples till evening.
However, officials expressed satisfaction over the number considering it the first day.
“Yes, the number of samples collected is less than what was expected but considering it was the first day, it is a good number. People should support the survey team and should come forward to give samples as it will help in knowing the prevalence of the disease in the city and also help in getting plasma from people who have developed antibodies,” HoD of Community Medicine Department in MGM Medical College Dr Salil Sakalle told media.
Nobody is at home, come later
A survey team which reached Tanzim Nagar with some cops had to face trouble when people refused to give samples. Some of the people gave an excuse that there was nobody at home and they cannot give samples without asking their father or brother.
Others said that they had already gone through Covid-19 test and didn't want to go for another test.
Two out of five people gave samples
A team led by pharmacist Sarika Jain including Monica David, Shahjahan Khan and Kavita Parmar had to face a tough time in getting samples from Daulat Bagh, Gauhar Nagar and other areas in Khajrana. They could take only two samples out of five people in two hours.
“Taking a sample is a two-minute task but pacifying them in a challenge. We are trying to pacify people for samples and taking samples of those who understand the survey. The people from the entire area gather at one place when we reach to take samples,” Jain said.
How survey is being conducted?
All teams have given a list of random addresses in the wards. They have to reach at every address and have to take sample of one of the family members in the house. Team also updated the details of family members through application and taking a declaration form as well.
