With the State-wide lockdown in force amid promulgation of Section 144 in several parts of Chittoor district, that is flanked by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the district administration is fully geared up to quarantine more than 1,000 foreign returnees, who are expected to arrive in the district from Monday onwards.
Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors’ Association secretary and COVID-19 Task Force Special Officer (Nagari Assembly Constituency) P. Ravi Raju told The Hindu that according to the statistics available with the district administration, 1,170 people would be arriving in the district with travel history in various countries. “Our immediate priority is to do away with the home-quarantine mode, and impose quarantine at government provided zones under strict surveillance of the medical and health officials,” Dr. Raju said.
The Special Officer said the home quarantine system for the foreign returnees would only escalate the risk factor in the spread of COVID-19. “Our inspection teams found out that several foreign returnees, mostly youth, are freely moving outside, besides mingling with the family members. The family members are also misleading the medical and paramedical staff that the quarantined family member is inside the home. This is very dangerous if continued. Today, we warned a youth who returned from Dubai to adhere to home quarantine, or else be ready to be shifted to Tirupati hospital,” Dr. Raju said.
He said that instead of sending the foreign returnees to their homes, steps would be mooted to directly take them to the special quarantine wards at the constituency or mandal level. “This would drastically prevent the family members from contracting the virus. The people who are out of the ambit of the virus would be discharged after 14 days. In case of finding positive symptoms, they would again be shifted to the isolation wards,” he said.
The official said that in view of the acute shortage of masks, the district administration had embarked on a mission to supply 10,000 masks to all medical and paramedical staff. The medical officers drafted for the COVID-19 combat mission would be provided with vehicles.
Apart from the existing 200-bed facility at Padmavathi Nilayam near Tirupati, the services of various educational institutions to create the quarantine facility would be utilised. “Mock drills as to how a COVID -19 suspect or positive case could be tackled were given at several mandal headquarters to sensitise the medical and paramedical teams. Special teams are also on the move to create public awareness on the precautions against the virus, and scrutiny of houses reporting suspect cases or foreign returnees,” Dr Raju added.
