Mysore/Mysuru: As the State reels under exponential rise of COVID-19 positive cases, the Health Department has directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all the Districts to set up a Booth-level team on the lines of polling booth model, in order to effectively check the spread of the pandemic.

In a letter addressed to the DCs on July 23, the Health and Family Welfare Department Commissioner has issued instructions for setting up Booth- level teams comprising local people’s representatives, officials and volunteers.

Highlighting the tasks of these teams, the Health Commissioner said that it is the responsibility of these teams to track, trace and test symptomatic and  their  primary and secondary contact persons, monitoring and strict implementation of Home Quarantine guidelines, among others.

Pointing out that these COVID-19 booths can be established at polling booth buildings, the letter said that  all the booths must have sufficient stocks of quality face masks, hand gloves, sanitisers, pulse oximeters and thermometers, that  can last for 15 days.

 All the team members must be in regular touch with their respective District’s COVID-19 War Room and it is mandatory for them to implement guidelines and regulations issued from time to time.

The Sector Officers must guide the booth-level teams, monitoring their activities, train them as and when found necessary, daily submission of updates on COVID-19 cases and interaction with higher authorities on the treatment of infected patients,  among others.