Gurugram: Last week, when a man was detected with Covid-19 in a condominium in Nirvana Country, panic rippled out to other high-rises in the vicinity. Amid the uncertainty of the evolving situation, various condominiums in the neighbourhood ramped up their efforts aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus disease. One such Nirvana Country condominium, Fresco Apartment, responded to the crisis by forming a Combat Corona committee. Comprising volunteers with knowledge, interest and subject matter expertise about the disease, the committee took a number of steps that are now being followed to try and check on the spread of the pandemic.
Starting from Wednesday, the condominium is entering a complete lockdown with a ban on the entry of all domestic staff (maids, drivers, car cleaners and dog walkers). Visitors are not allowed to go beyond the main gate. Only essential staff or medical assistants will be allowed to enter the condominium. People entering the building with deliveries have to use a hand sanitiser and get their temperatures checked. Further, plastic sheets have been placed on lift buttons and the sheet is disinfected every hour with Dettol and cotton. Until last week, the condominium had placed toothpicks inside the lift which were being used by residents to press the lift buttons without any direct contact. However, due to resource constraints and better efficiency, plastic sheets replaced the toothpicks.The RWA has also banned the supply of newspapers.
In other checks, the RWA has requested all residents to self-quarantine themselves and not leave the premises till March 31. Residents have been asked to limit their movements within the condominium as much as possible. In line with the mandated rules, the condominium has made it mandatory for people with international travel history to share their travel details with the maintenance office.
{{/usCountry}}In other checks, the RWA has requested all residents to self-quarantine themselves and not leave the premises till March 31. Residents have been asked to limit their movements within the condominium as much as possible. In line with the mandated rules, the condominium has made it mandatory for people with international travel history to share their travel details with the maintenance office.
{{/usCountry}}Nilesh Tandon, RWA president of Fresco, said that the condominium had imposed a partial lockdown on Saturday and was following it up with a complete lockdown from Wednesday. “Besides the lockdown, we are ensuring taking small steps that can go a long way in breaking the chain. Our staff members are advised to wash their hands three to four times in a single shift. They have been asked to stand at a distance of two metres from each other during their daily briefing and not share their pens with others,” said Tandon. He added that while children were not stepping out of their apartments, swings were also being sanitised.
Anticipating a complete curfew, the condominium is preparing rooms for support staff and their family. “We are preparing rooms for service staff whose services are essential to run the society. In case there is a complete clampdown that restricts all movement in and out of the condominium, we can get the support staff and their families shifted here so that they can stay here till the situation improves,” added Tandon.
Asha Johari, a resident, said that with a complete lockdown in force in the condominium, silence enveloped the complex. “It almost feels like a curfew has been imposed on the condominium. There is panic and uncertainty but people are reaching out to each other,” said Johari, who has been cooped up in her apartment with her son for a week now. A class 12 student, her son’s last board examination was called off because of the coronavirus outbreak. “My son was supposed to appear for examinations for higher education in the Netherlands but with the board exams postponed, he is in a dilemma since ambiguity is prevailing on the future course of action,” she said.
The extended period of lockdown, however, has given Johari a chance to bond with her son over household chores. “My son is doing all the household work and helping me out. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, he wasn’t as involved as he is now. Now, we divide the responsibilities among themselves and, I believe, these days will help him in becoming more self-sufficient,” she said.
Johari also noted that pollution levels had gone down with people staying in and her son had benefited from that. “My son was having severe asthma but due to a decrease in pollution levels, for the first time, he is not having any medicines,” she said.
Johri is also a part of a volunteer network that has been formed in the wake of the contagion. These self-help groups will reach out to people in need of assistance. “We are trying to manage the situation with support from residents, who are pitching in and helping each other out. People who are unable to cook can reach out to resident volunteers who will prepare food for them too. Recently, a woman reached out regarding shortage of milk and around ten people volunteered to help her out,” she said.
Vaibhav Singla, another resident, said that most residents were being advised to not deduct the salary of domestic help unable to work during this period. He also said that the RWA was quickly debunking any misinformation that may find its way to society Whatsapp groups. “Panic was created when a case was reported from the vicinity. To avoid any such negative situation, our RWA has been taking steps to ensure that misinformation and fake messages are debunked internally within the society WhatsApp groups,” said Singla.
Within the condominium, there are grocery shops that are being used for commodities. While a shortage of supplies has not been reported so far, residents said that Milk Basket had stopped delivering to the apartment, which was a cause of concern. “Milk Basket has refused to deliver to the apartment due to a shortage of manpower. We have two-three shops within the condominium through which people are managing,” said Singla.
Tandon, however, said that talks had been held with the company to resume the supply of milk. “We have reached out to Milk Basket and they will be placing a mobile van on campus if everything works out. We will ask people to share their contact numbers and their order will be delivered to the tower guard. We don’t want anyone crowding near the mobile vans,” said Tandon.