The sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital and the resulting demand of Remdesivir formulations have created a law and order problem with Delhi government’s Drug Control Department asking Delhi Police to step in to handle the crowds.
The department has shot off a letter to the police asking for security arrangements and protection at different sites in the capital where distributors of Remdesivir injections are located.
In its letter, the drug control department said that there was a steep increase in demand of Remdesivir formulations which had led to long queues of attendants of patients. This has now become “unmanageable” and resulted in law and order problem because of the panic situation at these sites, it said.
The Delhi Police has been requested to provide adequate security arrangements and deployment of police personnel at these sites. A list of thirty such sites has been provided by the drug controller department. It said that the police protection will ensure law and order at these sites and also ensure adequate security of the staff distributing the drug.
In its letter, the drug control department noted that the COVID-19 cases in Delhi have increased exponentially. It said the officials of the department in association with various distributors, stockists, CFA of various companies involved in their distribution are closely monitoring the availability and distribution of the Remdesivir formulations to make them available to various hospitals and nursing homes.
This is the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak in the country that the drug distributors and drug inspectors are liasioning with the police officials in Delhi for handling surging crowds and panic situations developed due to fear of short supplies of Remdesivir, the broad-spectrum antiviral being given to hospitalized patients.