Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, December 29 (Xinhua): In order to control the spread of the coronavirus, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on Tuesday conducted large-scale Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) in many public places to quickly detect persons with Covid-19.

With the cooperation of policemen, a medical officer, Public Health Inspectors (PHI) and other health workers went to Galle Face Green, a popular beachside walking area in the Sri Lankan capital, to conduct RAT on food vendors.

The food vendors are a permanent fixture at the Galle Face Green doing brisk business with the walkers and others who come for a jog or to take in the sea breeze.

The tests were compulsory and free of charge for the vendors.

With a loudspeaker announcing the tests, vendors briskly headed towards the tent where the health workers had set up their equipment including a computer to record the data collected.

The vendors, wearing face masks, patiently waited in a serpentine queue strictly observing social distancing.

While the Health Officer checked every test result very carefully, the Public Health Inspectors instructed vendors who had tested positive on what to and what not to do.

Nine persons tested positive for COVID-19 at the Galle Face Green,  Police Spokesman Deputy Inspector General  Ajith Rohana told the local media on Tuesday.

RAT would be conducted randomly on passengers using public transport and persons in public places, Rohana added.

(The featured photo at the top is by Tang Lu/Xinhua)