Authors
Dr Kanniyan Binuba, Dr Althaf Alib. aDeputy Medical Director/Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Malabar Medical College, Kozhikkode, Kerala, India; bAssociate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Manjeri, Kerala, India
Abstract
contact tracing glued with active community surveillance controlled the situation. Thousands of state employed healthworkers with inter-sectorial coordination from other departments, prepared spot maps and flowcharts of cases to find their contacts. The migrant workers were provided food and necessary mental health support. The state was appreciated at starting walk in Kiosks for taking samples which was adopted from South Korea. Break the chain campaign focussing on hand-washing, cough etiquette, physical distancing, wide range of use of masks had helped for behavioural change communication among masses. The policy of the state is “hope for the best but planned for the worst,” and alarmed pandemic is not yet over. Observers appreciated states fast-track response and recognized expertise in managing emergencies. 4 As the state has disproportionately high number of foreign arrivals and huge number of citizens working abroad across the globe, situation is challenging. One million foreign tourists visit yearly, as state is popular for tranquil backwaters and health retreats. Kerala is renowned globally as one of the cheapest tourist destination in the world. One-sixth of its 33 million citizens are expatriates, and hundreds of its students study in China. Airports were prepared for screening and focused on countries were case dominated initially. There were scenario in which more than a dozen foreign nationals were removed from a flight before takeoff as they were not able to complete their isolation period. Temporary quarantine shelters were established to accommodate tourists and other non residents of the state.