Getting an RT-PCR done during the fresh surge in the Covid cases in Dehradun seems to be nothing less than a risky activity affected by Covid inappropriate behaviour hiking the risk of healthy persons contracting the virus. When this correspondent went for an RT-PCR test at Deendayal Upadhyay government hospital (Coronation hospital) on Tuesday, many the persons standing in queue for the Covid test were seen blatantly violating social distancing and not wearing masks properly. Though the two policemen posted at the site were doing their bit to guide the prople on Covid appropriate behaviour, some of the people continued to violate the guidelines not wearing masks properly and crowding. Aged people were the ones properly following the guidelines and advising others also to do the same for their own good health.
People could be seen blaming each other for violations of the rules- a scenario which escalated into heated arguments. Some of this anger was also because of the inconvenience in the work of the hospital staff as rapid tests kits got over and the people who were waiting for hours in queue had to go back which caused resentment among people. For the RTPCR test an extra hour was taken because vials in which the samples are kept got over and it took the authorities some time to get new stock causing the people to wait longer in the sun without proper sitting arrangements and lack of Covid appropriate behaviour.
People who had come home to Dehradun for the festive weekend, tourists and youths wanting to go back to hostels crowded the hospital to get tested for Covid in a scenario which saw most norms of Covid appropriate behaviour being violated.
Wednesday, 31 March 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
