Indian Navy in Kolkata battles coronavirus COVID-19, ensures safety at its base and onboard ships

The Indian Navy in Kolkata have been battling the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time ensuring proper sanitisation at their base as well as the ships during the current lockdown. Only essential services are being undertaken which includes patrolling and riverfront security.

A system of lean manning has been created so as to ensure social distancing. The unit has trained over 20 personnel from non-medical trades as BattleField Nursing Assistants to support the medical team of the base in their duties. These teams have been working to regularly check the health of service personnel and their families.

Strict measures are in force to ensure proper sanitization of any person entering naval premises. At the entry points to naval premises sanitization facilities have been created additionally thermal guns are being used to detect personnel with fever. All stores that are supplied by vendors at the base are placed aside disinfected and then handled by personnel.

Sanitization teams have been created to undertake constant round the clock sanitation of workspaces and living spaces. Personnel who have returned from leave or duty prior to lockdown have been placed in isolation in specially created wards. Subsequent to lock down, personnel on leave have been told to remain at their leave stations. All temporary and permanent duties have been postponed.

Ships that are presently in Kolkata are in total lockdown with all personnel onboard. Rations are being supplied by INS Netaji Subhas to the ships. These are being delivered on the jetty, sanitized and then taken over by the ship’s team. A special pre-sailing medical is undertaken on board to ensure all personnel are fit to sail.

Any personnel showing even slightest symptoms is quickly shifted to the isolation ward created at the base ie INS Netaji Subhas and observed for 14 days and tested if required at the Command Hospital. As an additional measure, all personnel and families are wearing masks to ensure reduced risk of contamination. Post lockdown plans have also been formulated to ensure re-commencement of duties in a graduated and safe manner.