Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 15 The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is planning to give a prophylactic active dose of Ivermectin to 'Kalpvasis', coming to the Magh Mela next year. They will also have to undergo Covid tests every week.
Kalpvasis are devotees, who camp on the banks of the rivers in Prayagraj for one month during the Magh Mela. They lead an austere life during this period, bathe in the Ganga river every day and cook their own food. Majority of the Kalpvasis are senior citizens.
Over 20,000 Kalpvasis are likely to camp on the Magh Mela ground from January next year.
According to additional chief medical officer and nodal officer, Rishi Sahai, "The health department has mooted a plan to administer a prophylactic active dose of Ivermectin to all Kalpvasis. A prophylactic dose would also be administered to the frontline workers who have been assigned duties on the Mela campus. The doses will be administered to Kalpvasis on the first, seventh and 30th day of the month."
He further said that apart from bringing a negative RT-PCR test report along with them to gain entry to the Mela ground, they will also undergo a Covid-19 test every week during their month-long stay. Officials will be preparing a health card of each Kalpvasi to track their health."
Meanwhile, chief medical officer (Prayagraj) Dr. Prabhakar Rai said that at least 10 to 15 health surveillance teams would be deployed in each sector of the Mela ground to track the health of Kalpvasis and other seers staying on the Mela ground.
He said, "Medical teams equipped with a thermal scanner and sanitizers would be stationed at all entry points of the venue. Kalpvasis will also be submitting an undertaking that they are ready to be sent to a quarantine or isolation centre in the city, if they test positive for Covid-19."
The health department will also set up five booths for collection of swab samples in the five sectors of the Magh Mela ground.
The Mela will start from January 14 next year.
The state government has assured seers and saints associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) that the Magh Mela would be organized despite the pandemic, but under strict implementation of Covid-19 safety guidelines.
( With inputs from IANS )
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