• Home
• /
• coronavirus
• /
• Life and Living

Covid in India: Police struggling to prevent virus infecting people

Mumbai - Wellness officers appointed at every police station to guide people about safety measures.

Battling it out on the streets of the sprawling city to ensure the restricted movement of people for days and nights on end, Pune’s police force also has to struggle to prevent the coronavirus from infecting its men and women.

One of the worst-hit cities and districts in India, Pune has borne the brunt of the current crisis. And its over-stretched police force is the worst hit.

Amitabh Gupta, the city’s police commissioner, says 2,144 of a total of 8,494 personnel have been infected by Covid since last year.

“This is almost one-fourth of the staff and underlines that police are most vulnerable,” he added. Sixteen police personnel have so far succumbed to the infection. More than 1,800 have recovered, but 316 are still undergoing treatment for the infection.

Senior officials have been asked to take necessary precautions and wellness officers have been appointed at every police station to guide them about the precautions to be taken to curb the infection, added the police chief.

Fortunately, 95 per cent of the force has been vaccinated so far. About 85 per cent have got their first dose and 10 per cent have also got the second one.