The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati has joined the fight against coronavirus by making available its resources and manpower to combat the pandemic.
The institute recently shared its RT-PCR machine with the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) Tirupati, designated as a State COVID-19 hospital, for testing and treatment of the virus.
IISER administrators extended the support of technical manpower and assisted the government in standardising equipment and consumables for testing purposes. Along with the equipment, the institute also donated 60 plates, each with a holding capacity of 96 samples, thus helping in testing more than 5,000 samples.
Homegrown sanitisers
The institute also prepared 100 litres of hand sanitisers with 99.8% propanol as per World Health Organisation (WHO) norms. After meeting the requirements of the institution’s housekeeping and sanitary staff, the sanitiser was distributed to frontline staff.
As work at the permanent campus came to a standstill due to the lockdown, a number of migrant workers were held up at the site without wages.
“We counselled and prevailed upon the migrant labourers in Yerpedu campus to stay put in the safety of our premises rather than travel to their hometowns in other States,” said IISER Director K.N. Ganesh.
Apart from providing daily ration and essential commodities to them, the institute also conducted an awareness campaign for the workers on maintaining social distancing and usage of sanitisers. The institute’s faculty and staff had also provided generous contribution to several homes for the senior citizens and special children in and around Tirupati to help them tide over the current crisis.
To overcome the glitches triggered by the lockdown, the institute has already launched online classes and the academic activities are going on in full swing, with 80% of students attending the classes, Prof. Ganesh said.
