Seven out of 11 Great Andamanese Tribes recovers from COVID19 in Andaman, Two still in Hospital

Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Aug 30: What can be called as a positive development in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, seven out of 11 Great Andamanese Tribes have now recovered from COVID19, nearly two weeks after being infected with the coronavirus.
“There are only two members of Great Andamanese Tribes at Hospital while two are in home Isolation while all others have recovered,” informed Mr. Avijit Roy the Nodal Officer of COVID19 in Andaman.
After the news of COVID19 infection surfaced following precautionary tests being conducted by Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the UT Administration initiated series of tests to safeguard all the five Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), which includes Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese and Shompens Tribes.
As Onge and Sentinelese Tribes already live in isolated islands and locations, special measures have been taken to keep the Jarawa, Sentinelese, and Shompen Tribes safe from civil population and any type of infections.
In light of the Covid-19 situation in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and considering the vulnerability of Shompen, who are particularly vulnerable tribe groups (PVGT), the District Administration of Nicobar District has now come up with the SOP to safeguard Shompen Tribes.
As per the SOP, the staff of Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samity (AAJVS) shall compulsorily undergo thermal screening every day and any symptoms observed shall be reported to the Assistant Commissioner, Campbell Bay. Further, such a person showing symptoms should be immediately placed under quarantine and will not interact with Shompen tribe.
Further as per the SOP AAJVS’s staff shall not interact in close quarters with Shompen tribes. Any distribution of relief materials/ration kit shall be done from a distance atleast 12 feet. AAJVS’s staff shall ensure to distribute sanitized relief materials/ration kits to Shompen tribes. While distributing such materials, AAJVS staff shall compulsorily wear/use mask, gloves, and sanitizer. The vehicle used for the purpose shall be regularly sanitized properly. All other members of the public are strictly prohibited from giving or taking any materials from the Shompen tribe.