PESHAWAR: The Peshawar police have begun making protective medical gear from own resources for the personnel deployed at the local quarantine centres and areas placed under lockdown after the outbreak of coronavirus.

The gear includes surgical masks, gloves and jumpsuits, the police officials told Dawn.

They said the police had produced around 100 jumpsuits before providing them to their personnel deputed at the Douranpour quarantine facility.

A senior official revealed that the city police had provided 30 jumpsuits each to police stations functioning in the city circle.

He said the jumpsuits were being made by the police’s own tailors, which stitched uniforms, on the premises of the police lines in consultation with doctors, while pathogens couldn’t penetrate through their material.

Official says masks, jumpsuits being provided to personnel at quarantine centres, locked-down areas

The official said the gear made by the police was resistant to abrasion during a law and order situation and could be disinfected.

He said such disposal items were very expensive.

The official said the police were also providing face shields and goggles to personnel.

“We’ve utilised own resources to make these protective gear to meet own requirements. The exercise is part of a backup plan to fight the virus,” he said.

The official said if coronavirus broke out in some area, the police had to lock it down, so the police’s personnel should be properly prepared for it.

“You have to quarantine the whole area, where a case of virus pops up,” he said.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the city police said the police had planned to stitch up to 400 jumpsuits for use by own personnel in quarantine centres and checkpoints set up to protect areas placed under lockdown.

He said currently, the police personnel provided with the protective gear performed duty at the Dourapur quarantine facility, where pilgrims from Taftan border were kept near the limits of Peshawar.

The spokesman said the city police also provided face shields, hand sanitisers and other necessary equipment to their personnel.

He said the patrol force were making announcements on loudspeakers urging people to stay indoors.

“The announcements are being made in cantonment, city and Hayatabad areas. Besides, the police personnel are also informing the residents about proper hygiene to prevent the deadly virus,” he said.

Also in the day, provincial inspector general of police Dr Sanaullah Abbasi directed the police officers to adopt anti-coronavirus standard operating procedures to protect the personnel from coronavirus and ensure initiatives for the security of quarantine centres.

The instructions were issued in a video conference with the regional police officers, a statement issued here said.

Dr Abbasi said the police had to ensure strict action on the instructions issued by the provincial government regarding ban on transport, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants.

The RPOs briefed him about steps taken against coronavirus.

The police chief issued special directives to the officers to keep an eye on militants, drug pushers and anti-social elements to foil their nefarious designs during the outbreak of coronavirus.

He asked the police officers to care for the personnel’s welfare and ensure compliance with precautionary measures against coronavirus.

Dr Abbasi said the steps should be taken in line with the orders issued by the World Health Organisation.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2020