VIJAYAPURA: Even as awareness is being created to ensure people stay indoors, especially those aged above 60 years, the senior citizens seem to be flouting norms. To rein them in, the district administration has decided to put violators in institutional quarantine for a day.It is also a first-of-its-kind in the state where people stepping out without valid reason will be put under quarantine.Ever since the Covid outbreak in the district, the local administrative bodies including Vijayapura City Corporation are instructing people not to step out, except for medical emergencies and other genuine reasons. But the senior citizens, according to officials, have not been falling in line.
According to the District Health Office (DHO), “The district is witnessing fresh cases at a daily average of 25 since a couple of weeks. Among the fresh cases, a majority of them are from city corporation limits and 90 per cent of the infected are aged above 55 years. Elderly people with co-morbidities like SARI, heart ailments and hypertension are catching the virus.”Following this, the district administration in association with the corporation and the DHO is cautioning that “If anyone is found roaming outside without genuine reasons, they will be placed in institutional quarantine.”
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Commissioner Y S Patil said, “The intention is not to punish them, but to create awareness. A special team of the city corporation will implement the plan in the city limits at the earliest. First-time violators will be let off with a warning, but if they repeat it for the second time they will be sent to institutional quarantine. The aim is to ensure that the elders and children are safe and have very less chances of contracting the virus.” Corporation Commissioner Harsha Shetty said, “We have already formed special teams to address this issue. Within a week this rule will be implemented in corporation limits.”