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Ggm condos sparing no effort to contain spread of Coronavirus
Gurugram: With the number of Covid-19 cases in Gurugram increasing steadily, condominiums across the city are sparing no effort to contain the spread of the Coronavirus
Gurugram: With the number of Covid-19 cases in Gurugram increasing steadily, condominiums across the city are sparing no effort to contain the spread of the Coronavirus disease. Many have closed their gates to outsiders like household help and delivery personnel and reinforced sanitation measures within their premises.
La Lagune, a condominium on Golf Course Road, has stopped the entry of domestic workers, drivers, cooks and gardeners who live in nearby Tigra and Chakkarpur villages until March 31:, other part-time household helps are being allowed for now with the consent of individual residents. The health of housekeeping and security staff in the complex is being checked daily and tabs kept on confirmed cases in the neighbourhood of the staff as a precautionary measure.
The entry of delivery personnel has been restricted and passes are being issued to outsiders/medical attendants if they need to enter the condominium for medical emergencies.
in case of medical emergencies. Both residents and guards have been asked to keep tabs on families with a recent international travel history. Families flouting self-quarantine would be reported to the authorities, said an advisory issued to residents on Monday.
To protect the complex from disease carriers, the condominium has placed two washbasins at the entry and exit gates where everyone is supposed to wash their hands before they enter.The hands of everyone entering the condominium are stamped with “checked” to show they had been cleared to enter La Lagune.
“Every staff and helper is checked for temperature. They have to wash their hands at the basin, after which they are stamped on their hands. Only after this, they are they allowed to go in,” said Deepak Virmani, the estate manager of the property.
Residents and visitors are also screened for temperature and made to wash their hands before entering. Unless someone objects, their hands are stamped too.
Inside, small baskets with toothpicks have been placed in the lift so that people don’t need to use their fingers for pressing the elevator buttons. Disinfectant is sprayed on all delivery packages, which are being collected by residents from the lobby to avoid human-to-human contact.
While the Residents Welfare Association has barred the entry of domestic workers from specific areas, most residents have asked their household help to not report for work till March 31.
“Almost all of us have chosen to not call the domestic help. Social distancing is necessary for containing the spread of the virus and breaking the chain. Plus, there is fear since Covid-positive cases have been reported in villages where most helps come from,” said Vandana Bali, a resident, whose household help has not been coming to wiork for the past four days and has been given time off until March 31.
Bali said that family members were doing their own chores and pitching in with help, “One positive aspect of the lockdown is that all of us are together, with no one going in and out, possibly for the first time.”
Bali’s son, a class 12 student, is also staying home and awaiting clarity on the international baccalaureate board exams that usually take place in May. “The exams might get cancelled or postponed. It is a little anxiety-inducing since my son has been invited by universities abroad for admission next year and there is ambiguity over the next course of action,” she said.
Tackling Corona anxiety
Kavita Bansal, a resident, said that panic broke out when people learned about Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor testing positive. “Everyone wondered how she would have unknowingly infected many people. They started questioning those who had a travel history and were not isolating themselves,” said Bansal.
As negative conversations and a blame-game increased, some women from the condominium felt the need to shift their focus towards positive activities. “We realised that it was important to break the chain of negative comments and divert our energies towards those who needed help. Alienating or shaming people was not needed,” said Bansal.
Residents put their heads together and formed a network of three volunteer groups to help out in emergency situations and to break the chain of panic that had gripped people. “The fear surrounding Coronavirus disease is such that people have started blaming each other. Instead of shaming and blaming people who test positive, we should be thinking about the ways in which affected families can be supported. We have made groups for corona-anxiety support, elders’ support, and for families/individuals that might test Covid-positive in the future,” said Bali.
Residents of the condominium have also started chanting hymns on a daily basis since the last week to ward off negativity. The hymns are played for 15 minutes across both the north and south blocks of the society. Residents are also working towards creating a yoga group wherein people would exercise on their balconies. Bansal said that the idea behind various exercises was to participate in positive, collective activities and send out the message that one could overcome adversity with unity.
“All family members are pitching in at home. Residents are pooling in resources. It’s a good learning experience and shows us how life can throw up a curveball anytime,” she said about the silver lining in the lockdown. “We are spending time playing cards and other board games which were gathering dust so far. That culture of indulging in recreational activities together at home is being revived,” said Bansal
Virmani, the estate manager, said two teams had been formed for handling the complex’s operations during the lockdown and a Covid response team had been put in place.
“We have formed contingency teams. Residents have volunteered for services and a group is being formed to provide voluntary driving services in case of emergency,” said Virmani.
