CORONA AND Its’ EFFECT DURING LOCKDOWN IN ROURKELA

Rajesh Mohapatra,odishabarta

ROURKELA: Corona has impacted the globe very badly taking 210 countries into its grip. India is also suffering a lot but unlike few European countries. Odisha has positioned itself in a high level among other states of this country regarding managing corona and its effect. Rourkela the industrial city of Odisha has also shown a better and fruitful result so far. We had 3 corona positive patients in Bisra among them two have gone cured and the third one is getting the treatment. People of Rourkela have shown tremendous response to lockdown, specially the periphery rural areas. Social distancing was maintained properly excepting in few cases in market place. Banks have served the people with all precautionary measures whether they provide it to staff or making provisions to clean hands and making compulsory of wearing masks during banking transactions. So the petrol pumps; all the staffs have taken all precautionary measures. They don’t fill petrol unless consumers wear mask. Vendors of essential items, like grocery shop, vegetable vendors, milk shops, meat shops etc. have maintained social distancing. Police have shown great deal of professionalism and cared those who deserve their support. Also they become strict on regular offenders, violating lockdown norms. In this lockdown the worst victims are employees and owners of different modes of communication; let it be busses, autos, cabs or rickshaws. This prolonged lockdown has impacted them badly. Many of them are struggling now to arrange food for their loved ones. Most importantly the service and dedication of frontlines health warriors cannot be forgotten. It may be doctors, nurses or other Para-medic staffs; they work day-in day-out leaving behind their families and interest of self. They take the maximum exposure and risk to corona infections. In Rourkela we are lucky enough that no medical staffs got infected yet. Local Administration is taking all required steps to stop corona. The unique decision has taken by the local administration to care students by allowing book stores to remain opened in the morning for four hours, really helped students to get their books and other things related to their studies. We have a dedicated COVID-19 hospital at Hi-Tech medical College in Rourkela and recently we have a Covid-19 testing lab in IGH which was certified by ICMR, helping the city and its periphery area by testing more samples. Rourkela Municipality Corporations and other Govt. bodies have worked in sync to serve the people of the city and the endeavor is to make corona free city.