Over 5 crore or 50 million people are in process of migration from metro cities to their own native place in villages. Around 8% of migrants are found to be positive in Bihar when checked in various shelter places. It only means that required physical distance is not being followed by them in the transit.

If this continues, we expect that the doubling time of COVID-19 will remain around 13 days and in the next two weeks, we will end up with 200 thousand (2 lac) cases in the country.

The answers are: 

• As per new guidelines, in a shelter home, the minimum space requirement has been increased to 75 square feet from existing 50 square feet. Same is the requirement for any person staying in any house.
• In shelter rooms, number of people required to live per room or a house will get reduced by 30%.
• Similarly, in any closed environment like in ill-ventilated factory, the number of people working at one given time will reduce by 30%.
• About 30% people will have no choice than to go back to their native place.
• If they have to go back, send them with dignity.
• We have done so for Kota residents and getting people from other countries to India.
• Why cant we have similar arrangements for laborers?
• What is the need of checking their physical parameters at the travel origin, the same should be done at the destination? How does it matter about their health status at the point of origin, they can hide it by taking anti-fever medicine?
• About 90% of people remove their mask while talking; it will be better if they travel using a face shield along with the mask.

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO and HCFI