Question : Installation of Scanners in Urban Crowded Public Places

Will the Minister of Health and Family Welfare be pleased to state:

a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that COVID-19 rate of infection spread, and death are more in urban areas;
b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
c) whether the Government has any proposal to filter the infected persons through installation of flash mass detection scanners, in urban public crowded places to manage the spread of pandemic like COVID-19; and
d) if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTERY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (d)
COVID-19 being a communicable viral disease is more likely to get transmitted in settings with close human contact. As urban areas (particularly in densely populated urban settlements, malls and marketplaces, offices, public transportation etc.) have high population densities as compared to rural areas, such respiratory infectious diseases are more likely to be reported from urban areas.
Accordingly, Union Ministry of Health has issued an advisory on preparedness and response to COVID-19 in Urban Settlements on 16th May 2020, which specifically addressed COVID-19 prevention and response measures required in such settlements.

Health is a State subject. Government of India has provided the required technical support and has also supported the States through logistic and financial support to further strengthen the existing health infrastructure to tackle COVID-19 pandemic.
Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) have been issued on COVID-19 prevention in workplace, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, entertainment parks, gyms, religious places, markets etc. All these SOPs have been widely disseminated and also hosted on the website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. These SoPs besides advocating preventive measures also advise thermal screening of all persons at entry points to pick up any suspect case so that such cases may be segregated and advised to seek appropriate treatment, thereby minimizing the possible risk of COVID-19 transmission from such individuals.
In addition, Union Ministry of Health, has been undertaking thermal screening of international passengers at points of entries at airports and seaports. Similarly, Guidelines for domestic travel (air/train/inter-state bus travel) issued by Union Ministry of Health in May 2020 also advocates that all passengers shall undergo thermal screening at the point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to board the flight/train/bus.