JAIPUR: The coronavirus outbreak in China, which has spread to numerous countries including India, has now cast a shadow over the postal and travel services in Rajasthan. Packages coming from China are being handled with a great deal of fear and suspicion by Postal employees even though the P&T Department is yet to issue any specific order about Chinese packages.
“We are receiving 20-25 packages from China every day. Given the fears over coronavirus, these parcels are being handled cautiously. Soon, we will issue special orders about these parcels that come from China,” Jagdish Singh Gurjar, Postal Superintendent, Udaipur Postal Division said
About 300-400 parcels are received from China on a daily basis in Rajasthan which mainly contains clothes or electronic goods like mobile accessories. The majority of Chinese parcels are received in major districts like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Alwar and Udaipur. Although many doctors and health experts believe that the coronavirus cannot infect anyone merely by touching a parcel, the fears of the deadly virus are gripping countless people.
However , Dr. Rateesh Sareen ,Sr.Pathologist of SDMH Hospital in Jaipur has a different take he says that parcels from infected areas have the potential of transmitting the virus. ” Coronavirus commonly spreads from infected persons mainly through air, cough and sneeze and close contact. It can also spread by touching an object or surface with virus presence and later touch your mouth, nose or eyes without washing hands. Just to be on the safe side we have to assume that it can be transferred through parcels or letters as well and thus precaution is needed”, he said.