Asymptomatic patients can be isolated in clubhouses: TMC

Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients or those with mild symptoms in Thane will no longer have to be admitted at quarantine centres. The Thane civic commissioner has asked

Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients or those with mild symptoms in Thane will no longer have to be admitted at quarantine centres. The Thane civic commissioner has asked housing societies to create isolation centres in their clubhouses and common halls for infected residents in this category.

HT Image

Societies will be required to register their Covid centres three days from the time they receive orders from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). However, civic officials claimed that the order is not mandatory.

With the increasing number of Covid cases in the city, the availability of beds in quarantine centres is rapidly decreasing. Moreover, given residents’ concerns about the quality of these centres, Thane civic commissioner Vijay Singhal issued directives to all residential societies to set up quarantine units in the premises.

“If a positive patient is found in any society, who has no symptoms or has minor symptoms, he can be quarantined in the society itself. The clubhouse or multipurpose hall in the society will now be turned into a Covid care centre for these patients. Societies will have to set up these centres three days from the time they receive the orders. This will also ensure that those who are critical and need hospitals, will have beds available,” said Singhal.

The circular states that no outsider, including friends and relatives of the people residing in the society, will be allowed to use this centre. “Only residents will be admitted here. If the number of positive patients is more than the beds, patients will be admitted on a first-come-first-serve basis. Persons isolated at these centres can get all meals from their families, provided the members wear protective gear and maintain social distance. Food will be kept outside the centre from where the patient will have to pick it up. Disposable plates and containers will be used to provide meals,” Singhal added.

Patients admitted at the centre will have to clean the area on their own, or else a sanitation worker with a proper PPE suit will be permitted. The waste generated will be given to a biomedical waste centre. Regular examination of patients will be conducted by doctors from the society but if none are available, the society should approach the corporation for a medical officer. The doctor appointed by the society will get remuneration from the concerned patient, his family, or the society.

“The isolation facility will also have jumbo oxygen cylinders and oxygen masks. The concerned doctors appointed by the society will help to secure these masks or they can seek help from us,” said Singhal.

While the move would ease the burden on the TMC, residential societies claimed that these directives are not feasible.

K Kumar, president of Progressive Thane Resident’s Welfare Association (PTRWA), Vasant Vihar, said, “Most societies do not have such a large space to set up quarantine centres. The clubhouse is small and there is just one washroom.”