Visakhapatnam: IVRS helps in reaching out to more people

Visakhapatnam: As soon as we dial a number in the mobile phone, a voice greets with a cough followed by the dos and don'ts to keep coronavirus at bay.

Amid growing concern over the lethal virus, the interactive voice record system (IVRS) in English introduced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is a step towards creating awareness about COVID-19, preventive measures to be taken in particular such as avoiding coming in close contact with people who are sick, maintaining a minimum one-metre distance from those coughing and sneezing, covering the face with a mask, washing hands and visiting the nearest health centre if symptoms persist or contacting the helpline number: 011-23978046.

With the total number of coronavirus cases increasing with each passing day, the IVRS aids in reaching out to millions of common man through mobile ringtone.

The rise in COVID-19 cases across the globe is making the common man consider precautionary measures to prevent its spread further. At a time when fake content about coronavirus is making the rounds through social media platforms, the IVRS helps in dispelling the misconceptions about the virus.

While awareness about the lethal virus is growing among people, medical stores across the district are running short of supplies such as hand sanitisers, masks and gloves.

As a part of the preventive measure, some parents are making sure that their wards wear a mask and carry a sanitiser before heading to the school. This has eventually increased the sale of the protective gear across the counters in various medical stores. "Keeping the huge demand in view, we are not entertaining any bulk purchase of masks by the customers. There are two varieties of masks available at the pharmacy centres – two-layered and three layered. Of them, the latter one flies off the shelves in 30 minutes as soon as they arrive at the counter," said a pharmacist at one of the medical stores in MVP Colony.

At present, many stores run out of stock of the protective gear. "Initially, there was no demand for such supplies and hence they were redirected to other destinations. Now, when the public started asking for masks and sanitisers, we are not having enough stock," said K Chandramouli, a medical shop owner at Gopalapatnam.

Medical shopkeepers mentioned that fresh stock is expected to arrive shortly from Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

Even school managements are considering precautionary measures as some of them are making their students wash their hands once in every two hours.