COVID control room in Kashmir made round-the-clock functional

Srinagar: J&K Government has augmented the Divisional COVID19 Control Room in Srinagar with manpower to help callers get information and assistance round the clock in view of the rising cases and an increasing number of distress calls.

In the past 16 days, Kashmir’s Central COVID19 Control Room (CCCR) has received 1235 calls. A senior official working in the health department said that the government had sent back the staff that was working in the CCCR after the Second Wave subsided.

He said at the beginning of the month the Control Room was operational from 10 am to 4 pm only due to the minimal staff that was deployed to provide assistance and information to callers. “However, the calls have increased in number and now the Government has made the Control Room 24 x 7 again,” he said. Human resources from other departments, the official said, have been deployed for the Control Room again.

While providing details, he said, most of the callers have been seeking information about treatment and testing. “We have been receiving a number of calls about testing if the person needs to get tested, where to get tested and in case someone is positive when to take them to hospital,” the official said. This month, 530 such calls of this nature have been received as per the details received by Greater Kashmir.

However, vaccination is the most asked question by the callers. “People often call asking about vaccines, boosters, the safety of getting someone vaccinated, downloading certificates etc,” the official said. The CCCR is also an information centre for people travelling to and from Kashmir.

Recently, during the reference period, 103 callers wishing information on requirements for travelling in terms of testing, vaccination and other things have called the Control Room. People desirous of getting testing and those who have been sampled have made 107 calls to the Control room. J&K Government has said to set up the central control room to cater to the information needs of callers from across Kashmir.