The deadly coronavirus, since its outbreak, has claimed more than 500 lives in China’s Wuhan city. After it was reported that 3 people were also affected in India, an NGO – working on road safety – has asked the Hyderabad Police to stop using breathalysers to avoid spreading the virus.
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According to India Today, an NGO – named Vaada Foundation – sent a letter to the Hyderabad Police asking them to disband the use of breathalysers, which can spread the virus from one human to the other.
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Airborne droplets and infected surfaces can easily be transferred to a healthy person from an infected person if the former uses the same breathalysers used by an infected body.
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P Suresh Raju, Vaada Foundation’s founder, believed using breathalysers in the current scenario is very unhygienic presenting a risk to both commuters as well as the police officers.
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While a few people suggested using disposable breathalysers, many believed changing attachments before re-use can enable the police department to cut down on this expense.
All respiratory instruments should be equipped with a hepa filter or they can use disposable instruments with droplet precautions. A person with flu standing 3 feet away from the person who is testing him can pass the infection. The best practice for the traffic cops will be to wear disposable gloves and masks.
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Manjeetha Nath Das, Senior Internal Medical Consultant for Columbia Asia Hospital, echoed the NGO founder’s sentiments and said:
Breathing in breathalysers can potentially cause various communicable diseases to people with weak immunity. The attachments should be sterilised and cleaned before using it for the next person.
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All three confirmed coronavirus cases in India have been detected in Kerala, leading to a “state calamity” declaration by the authorities.