The outbreak of coronavirus in India has also been accompanied by stories of those who are escaping isolation wards (though a few fled because of pathetic conditions in hospitals), those who are defying quarantine, and even those who are hiding their travel history. But there are many responsible citizens in India who are following the rules and going out of their way to make sure that they remain at home and do not risk spreading the infection.
In Bengaluru, when the Dell techie was the first person in the city to test positive, the apartment complex that he lived in went into lockdown. A resident of the apartment complex, Mohan (name changed) told TNM that the patient told the apartment council members immediately that he could have been infected with the disease. Before the government issued a mandatory lockdown, the apartment complex went into voluntary quarantine.
“Since the moment he was a suspected case, he informed us and we were in touch with health officials. We reduced touch-points and meeting points and we minimised exposure to other people. We created drop-off points where newspaper vendors and other such vendors can drop off goods, and then we go and collect them,” Mohan tells TNM.
This has been happening much before the government issued an advisory to apartment resident associations. The staff members at the complex have been reduced, those working as domestic helps have been asked not to come, and the staff currently working have all been supplied with sanitizers. Several sanitizers have also been placed in spots across the complex, he shares.
“This has been happening much before the advisory, it has been around one and a half weeks. We disinfect public areas like railings and windows twice daily. Kids are not going down, people are not going to meet each other, we are maintaining social distancing and we only meet in small groups whenever absolutely necessary,” he adds.
It is not easy, Mohan says, but 90 per cent of the in the complex never raised a complaint. “It’s for our own good. People don’t want to get into a situation where they get an infection,” he says.
Tinu Cherian Abraham, a communication and PR professional has been on self imposed quarantine after he returned from California. He has been chronicling his days in quarantine on Twitter.
Day 9 of 14 day self-quarantine.
— Tinu Cherian Abraham (@tinucherian) March 18, 2020
The chest congestion has come down considerably.
I talk a lot over phone over the day since I work from home.
A bit of mild morning cold. Very common for me, even otherwise.
As of now, no major symptoms specificed for #COVID19
Similarly, in another part of Bengaluru, a man whose mother has tested positive for coronavirus sent a broadcast message to all apartment residents and other family and friend groups to inform them. The message tells the residents and others where the patient has been hospitalised and also that the rest of the family have quarantined themselves. The message is also perhaps the family's way of telling those who may have been in touch with any of them to be extra careful
Another apartment in Bengaluru where a COVID-19 patient was confirmed to be living is also under lockdown and the resident association has released a 13-point advisory for its residents which informs them of fumigation procedures to be taken up and the safety measures they can take as well. The association has asked residents to self-quarantine, not exit the building and wear masks if they wish to walk around the complex. The association has also said domestic staff, drivers and cooks not be allowed to come to the apartments and for those who do not have live-in cooks, meals will be arranged internally. A drop point for collection of online deliveries has also been set up.
The government has emphasised the importance of self-quarantine and has, time and again, requested those who are coming to India from COVID-19 affected countries to reveal their travel history and quarantine themselves for 14 days even if they do not show any symptoms. Self-quarantine during an outbreak of a disease that has seen over 2 lakh global cases is a social responsibility that may help in curbing the spread of the disease and reduces the risk that others may face. KK Shailaja, the Health Minister of Kerala, the state which has seen 27 cases of coronavirus till date, had earlier asked citizens to reveal their travel details and added that not doing so would be a crime. This has been repeated by many other state governments too. Despite this, there are many who are either not following quarantine strictly or fleeing in fear.
Also read: